Did you know that August is National Make-a-Will Month?

Making a will or living trust is a prudent decision for everyone, regardless of age or wealth. Planning and supplying clear instructions ensures that your wishes are carried out exactly as you want and offers peace of mind to your loved ones during those particularly challenging times.

Your will or living trust serves as a roadmap for your family, guiding them on how to execute your arrangements, care for your pets, oversee financial matters, and understand the significance of specific belongings including sentimental items and family heirlooms.

Here are five compelling reasons why creating a will or living trust this month is an excellent idea:

1. Secure Your Legacy: A plan allows you to have a say in how your assets, property, and personal belongings are distributed among your beneficiaries. It ensures that your hard-earned wealth goes to the people or causes that matter most to you, including Habitat for Humanity of St. Augustine/St. Johns County (Habitat St. Johns)

2. Provide for Your Loved Ones: With a will, you can name guardians for minor children, elderly family members and pets, ensuring they receive the care and support they need after you are gone.

3. Minimize Family Disputes: By leaving clear instructions, you can minimize the potential for disagreements among family members about asset distribution and reduce the likelihood of strained relationships.

4. Reduce Financial Burden: A well-planned will can help minimize probate costs, estate taxes, and legal expenses, leaving more of your estate for your beneficiaries. This includes leaving parts of your estate to Habitat St. Johns and other nonprofits. Giving to nonprofits through your will can have a significant, positive impact on tax liabilities for your loved ones. Speak to your CPA, tax accountant or elder lawyer for more information.

5. Achieve Peace of Mind: Knowing that your wishes are documented and legally binding provides you with the reassurance that your loved ones will be taken care of according to your instructions, providing them with peace of mind during tough times.

Don’t wait to create a will. By taking this essential step, you take control of your legacy and ensure that your loved ones are protected and supported according to your wishes. Making a will this month is a thoughtful and responsible act that will bring lasting benefits to you and your family.

Legacy Gifts can also leave a profound impact on our community.

Consider including Habitat St. Johns in your estate plans. Naming Habitat St. Johns in your will or living trust, or as a beneficiary of your retirement account or life insurance policy, are just some examples of how supporting Habitat in this way adds to the impact of your life’s legacy.

Recently, Habitat St. Johns received more than $50,000 from a donor who had never donated to us before. We would have loved to thank the donor for their generous gift during their lifetime, but now that possibility is gone, along with their opportunity to see firsthand the joy and impact such donations can produce.

Please let us know if you are including Habitat St. Johns in your estate plans, so we can thank you now and keep you informed of the work we are doing and our strategic plans for the future.

For information on making a will or living trust, contact your local bar association or a chapter of the Association of Charitable Gift Planners. If you have questions about contributing to Habitat for Humanity of St. Augustine/St. Johns County, please contact Tom Torretta at 904-826-3252 x2001 or by emailing [email protected].

We hope you will take this opportunity to make a plan and leave a legacy for locals in St. Johns County through Habitat St. Johns!