“I’m giving you and your three sisters wills for Christmas,” replied Dad.
The youngest of four, it was 1982, I was 24 years old finishing up my MBA at Michigan State, about to get married to a girl from Buckeye and start my career in industry with IBM.
Morbid, practical, and the best Christmas gift ever.
“Better Homes and Gardens” magazine reports 58% of adults do not have a will or a living trust. The December issue of “Kiplinger’s Personal Finance” just covered estate planning during the pandemic. The message is repetitive. Any readers with adult children are challenged about what to give their children for the holidays, especially during COVID restrictions. Something practical, something they need, and hopefully something that could shape their lives.
Fast forward 27 years to 2019. Now a university professor in Texas I was faced with the pending birth of my grandchild in Phoenix. At age 32 there is little I could give my daughter that would shape her life. All the life lessons about being ethical, how to responsibly manage her finances, live within her income, stewardship and treating others the way you would want to be treated, all had been taught as she was growing up. Living 1,100 miles away didn’t help.
And then I thought back to Dad’s gift in 1982. That’s it! Dad was brilliant. One unmarried sister passed away on 2002 but the original will was still in place, which dramatically simplified executorship. Another sister has never changed her original will but a will is in place. The third sister, divorced with children, continues to update her will from the original document as her life conditions changing, just as my wife of 37 years and I do. From my sample of four I wonder how many of us would have taken that first step or would we be part of the 58% who never did.
So last year I followed Dad’s example to do the same for my daughter. I started by trying to look up the Sun City law firm that Dad had engaged, only to find that the firm had disbanded. Logic suggested Sun City law firms make sense due to a proximity to a population most likely to use their service. I found, and used, the Law Offices of Tracy M. Marsh, PLLC (www.marshazlaw.com) on West Palmeras Drive, 623-562-5559.
The grandbaby was born on Christmas Eve. Ms. Marsh had provided me with a gift certificate from the firm that served as something to put under the tree and they were able to meet with Ms. Marsh later after things settled down with the baby to put the appropriate legal documents in place.
Thanksgiving this year included a Google Nest video call with my daughter, son-in-law and an 11-month-old eager to show us her new teeth, the ability to stand on her own and vocal rambling, which I will swear translates into “Grandpa, thank you so much for taking care of my parents and me with the best Christmas gift ever!” It brought tears to my eyes.
