Proper Estate Planning to Ensure You Leave a Strong Legacy Behind

Everyone leaves a legacy when they pass. The legacy you leave behind can include intangible things like how you served your community or how you raised your family. It may also include numerous tangible gifts to organization that have held an important place in your life, like a charity, or your alma mater, or even your place of worship. There are many ways to leave a strong legacy behind, provided you plan your estate properly. The best way to ensure proper estate planning is to seek the services of a reputable estate planning attorney in Santa Rosa. Your attorney will make sure that your estate is managed and divided exactly the way you wanted it to be before you passed.

Leaving a Charitable Bequest to Leave a Legacy Upon Your Passing

Upon your passing, there are more than a few ways to leave a charitable bequest. First, you can opt for a specific bequest which allows you to give a particular individual or organization a certain percentage or dollar amount of your estate. Typically, such bequests are the first ones made from an estate. Secondly, you have the option of writing out a residual bequest to any charitable organization of your choice. This type of bequest allows you to leave the remainder of your estate to an organization of your choice after all expenses, taxes and debts are paid, and other beneficiaries have received their bequests.

Typically, in the case of both these kinds of bequests – specific and residual, it is made sure that a certain part of your estate goes to a charity you have chosen. In layman terms, the charity of your choice will receive a gift along with your children or other loved ones upon your passing, i.e., if that is your wish.

Alternatively, you have the option of leaving a contingent bequest to a charity. In this type of bequest, you name a charity to receive a bequest only if the intended beneficiaries in your will do not survive you. Although the named charity often does not receive an actual bequest, planning with contingent bequests allows your assets to be directed to a charity of your choosing rather than your estate assets being distributed to more remote family members by the state. If you would like your estate plan to include leaving a charitable gift, you should work with a trustworthy estate planning attorney in Santa Rosa to make sure that it is done properly.

Plan Your Estate with the Best Estate Planning Attorney in Santa Rosa

If you are considering leaving a gift to a charity as part of your estate plan, you should seek the services of a reputable estate planning attorney in Santa Rosato help you determine the best approach for you and your loved ones. For the top estate planning attorneys and reliable legal services, look no further than Johnston & Associates Law. Call us today at 707-545-6542 to speak to an expert attorney.