Estate Planning and the Family Tree

Estate Planning and the Family Tree

June 16, 2023

By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi 

This weekend we celebrate the fathers among us, sparking thoughts of family trees that make up our villages.  Estate planning focuses our attention on future generations, the limbs of the tree to come. We ask who and/or what will follow us, which helps us decide where to give the assets we leave behind at death. Yet there is the flipside to the family tree: the question of where we came from. 

According to a New Yorker article from May 2022, more than twenty-six million people have completed a genetic ancestry test since 2012. Genealogy is now reported to be America's second most popular hobby after gardening.  As you complete or update your estate planning documents, you may want to consider including some fashion of a family tree for the loved ones handling your final affairs.  Administering an estate is more than simply completing tax filings, selling property and donating clothing.  It is often a time of reflection for those closing out a home.  If you are a Wisconsin resident, the Wisconsin Historical Society offers genealogy webinars, workshops, and classes, with discounts for Society members. 

Image by M. Gustafson Gervasi, 2023

Please note that a blog is not legal advice, but rather a tool to spark thought and reflection.  It is best for you to seek legal counsel from an attorney