The LCMS Foundation was created in 1958 by the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to provide Christian estate planning services to LCMS members and help ministries invest or endow the gifts members leave them in their wills or estate plans.
Becky received a frantic text message from her friend Kim. “I need to schedule an appointment with my attorney to update things after Bill died, and I am scared to death.” Becky replied, “Why are you scared?” Kim shared, “It has been twenty years since I set foot in an attorney’s office, and at that time, they made me feel so dumb for not understanding basic legal processes.” Becky responded, “Sounds like you had the wrong attorney.”
This is a frequent scenario played repeatedly in the minds of many that keep them from creating or updating their estate plans. Most attorneys are probably dismayed to hear such things, as they only want to help their clients achieve their goals. However, this situation illustrates that some preparation can alleviate some of this anxiety. You don’t set out to replace your deck in your backyard without educating yourself first. You visit stores and look at the variety of materials. You read articles about the best choices. You might even watch videos to elevate your familiarity. The same is true for your estate plan. Your LCMS Foundation Gift Planning Counselor has a great resource that outlines the basic elements of an estate plan and highlights decisions you will need to make along the path toward completion. Instead of being put on the spot in a timed appointment in an attorney’s office, you can begin thinking and praying about what you believe is your goal. Conversations with your Gift Planning Counselor can help you clarify your thoughts. With anticipation and even excitement, you can look forward to that attorney visit because you know it is helping you to move forward in being a faithful steward of the gifts God has placed in your life to manage for Him, blessing the family you love and the ministries you care about. To get started on your preparation, contact Tony Hunt, CFRE, at 260-222-1291 or email tony.hunt@lfnd.org.