PLANNING FOR WEALTH AND SECURITY
By Attorneys Jennifer and Jeff Hawkins

Faithful Planning and Plan Execution

Everyone has a plan. When you woke up this morning, you developed a daily strategy that would guide your activities until your head hits the pillow tonight. Even if you don’t spend time thinking about what you will do, your actions will still form the pattern of a plan that you will execute throughout the day. Hindsight bears witness to whether your plan and its execution reflect the financial, social, and moral values that you claim to cherish.

Humans dominate the top of the animal kingdom food chain at because we possess physical and mental capabilities to influence our environment and seize opportunities. More than that, however, a person’s values can elevate him or her above the crude comfort and self-preservation instincts that describe the other animals. This power to conceive and do the “right thing” defines a person’s moral character. People display their character in their daily actions and omissions. Some people’s righteous words match their character, but the two differ sharply in others.

Questions arise often in estate plans and in the administration of estates, trusts, and guardianships about what is “possible” and what is “right.” For example, a person may say: “Who would know that I have this asset if I don’t tell them?” Forget for a moment that failure to disclose an asset on a Medicaid application or some tax returns is a felony punishable by years in prison – a person should consider how this thought fits with his moral and ethical values.

Many honorable people walk among us quietly demonstrating their character without public fanfare. Those people influence our communities by teaching their values to younger generations and contributing to organizations that encourage and reward such faithfulness and moral character. Estate plans can empower trustees to help redirect prodigal beneficiaries toward redemptive lifestyles. Plans can also encourage family philanthropy to build our communities’ strengths and take back this world from greed and malice. It all starts with a plan to get out of bed and “do good”, and ends after a day filled with faithful execution of that plan.

THIS ARTICLE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE. ALWAYS CONSULT AN ATTORNEY DIRECTLY BEFORE RELYING UPON THIS ARTICLE OR CHANGING AN ESTATE PLAN.

© 2009 by HAWKINS LAW PC, Estate, Trust & Business Attorneys. All rights reserved. Published with permission.