On Tuesday, SKH associate attorneys Erica Strader, Fred Schroeder and Mercedes Rhoden-Feely participated in a Family Love Letter event at Meadow Lakes Golf Course in Prineville. The Family Love Letter program focuses on helping clients gather essential information for estate planning that is not usually included in a standard will or trust. Many people aren’t prepared for the responsibilities associated with a parent’s passing — children often have no idea the full extent of their parents’ possessions, obligations and holdings. Fred says, “That was the case for me when my father passed and my sister and I had to deal with his estate.”
The Family Love Letter exists to solve this problem. Even the best estate planning documents do not provide a child with their parent’s Facebook or Google password, they don’t include information on how to handle airline miles or military benefits. The love letter is designed to accompany a properly done “estate/financial/tax” plan. It is a summary of everything you have, where it is located, and pointers on where to go and what to do for the person who is dealing with the estate. It empowers the next generation to execute your estate plan exactly as you intend.
The Family Love Letter presentation was held in two sessions: in the first, clients were introduced to the concept of the love letter and shared personal experiences to underscore the importance of completing a love letter and providing information to the next generation. In the second session, clients created their own love letters to include with their estate planning documents. If you’re interested in creating your own Family Love Letter, or creating an estate plan, speak with your attorney.