Have you heard the adage, “Do one thing today that your future self will thank you for”? Writing a will is certainly one task that fits. 

When it comes to your congregants, what role can – or should – your church play in encouraging people to get their financial houses in order and make their wills? After all, most people’s wealth is not in their checking accounts (which is how they give to the offering basket), but in their assets, which will be left as part of their estate.  

If your church is not actively engaging with members about making a will, please reconsider…   

All adults should have a will, no matter their age or wealth. It allows them to choose an executor, select a guardian for minor children and/or pets, and determine how to distribute their assets. It also allows them to shape their funeral and to choose their legacy by making gifts to favorite nonprofits, which will likely include your church.  

To make the process as easy as possible, and to take away any issue of expense, LPGM has joined with Good Raising to provide anyone with a free, online will-making tool. It is:  

You and your congregants can make a will for free using lpgm.willforgood.com and gain the ultimate peace of mind for you and your loved ones. There is no obligation to include LPGM!  

Early August, LPGM launched this free tool to correspond with “Make a Will Month.” We posted a three-part video online and followed up with an email and mailing. Within 30 minutes of sending the email, nearly 400 people had opened it – a really large response!  

One LPGM board member, Marcie Flasch of Appleton, Wisc. (pictured above), emailed me right away, saying:  

"We did our will years ago and updated it recently to include charitable organizations including LPGM. It was not a 'free' process, and I appreciate how really important and helpful this gift will be. In addition, it removes a huge barrier toward getting things like this done." 

By sharing with me that LPGM is in their plans, Marcie and her husband, Jim, gained membership into LPGM’s Legacy Circle, which is for anyone including LPGM in any way in their will or estate plan.  

Does your church have such a group, or provide clear guidelines for folks interested in adding you to their plans? National Estate Planning Awareness Week, o.k.a. “NEPAW,” takes place Oct. 19-25 and is a great time to promote this free will planning tool or your church’s guidelines for estate planning.  

If you would like to learn more about sharing this free will-making resource with your congregation, or about making your own, please contact me.  

What are you waiting for?