When you are contemplating the impact that you have had on the world during your life, you may have some profound revelations. It is likely that you can say with all honesty that you made the world a better place in many ways. This can get into your head when you are planning your estate, and you may want to take action to see your influence continue, long after you pass away.
Your legacy can actually endure for generations, or even into perpetuity, if you have sufficient resources. To this end, we have seen certain individuals start private foundations to support worthy causes that are well-known to all of us such as the Ford Foundation.
Indeed, starting your own private family foundation certainly may be an option for you, but there are other ways to dedicate resources to charitable causes as well.
Exactly how you would like to craft your legacy is something that is entirely up to you, and it will be shaped by the things that you are passionate about.
For example, your alma mater may mean a lot to you, and there are those who will provide resources to schools that they attended. Alternately, you may provide commemorative scholarships or make funding available for building projects in the community.
These are just a few brief ideas but the possibilities are endless. If you are interested in legacy planning, the first step is to sit down and discuss your vision with a good Oklahoma City estate planning lawyer. Your attorney will gain an understanding of your objectives and provide you with expert legal advice that leads to the efficient achievement of your legacy goals.
Larry Parman
Author, President and Founding Attorney
Parman & Easterday
Since founding Parman & Easterday in 1985, Larry has led over 1,000 free, community-service education programs and helped more than 10,000 Oklahoma families go from putting off their estate plan to getting it done. His goal for every client is the same: to become the person their family calls "the one who took care of everything."
Larry is the author of three books: The Straight Shooter's Guide to Estate Planning; Estate Planning Basics; and Guiding Those Left Behind in Oklahoma. He served as Oklahoma's Secretary of State and Secretary of Commerce, and his firm is the only member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys in the state.
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