Build a Lasting Legacy

5 Steps To Planning Your Legacy With Purpose & Intention

Every day, we spend our time and energy trying to get from where we are to where we want to be. 

Each morning routine, every check off that to-do list – it all adds up to the legacy we hope to one day leave behind. 

But how can we be sure that the small steps we take today move us toward the ultimate goals we have for the future? 

How can we be sure that it all means something in the end? 

“That’s why I love legacy planning,” explained John Vance, President and Visionary of Vance Wealth in Santa Clarita. “It asks these important, big-picture questions that give you a sense of purpose and intention as you decide how to build your future. Legacy planning asks you to not only look far ahead into your own lifetime – but also to consider what you’ll leave behind for future generations.”

The most important thing you can do in legacy planning is simply approach it with purpose. Be intentional as you map out a legacy for your family, business, and community. 

And once you know where you’re going, the key to getting there is pretty straightforward: Start each day with a mindset geared for long-term success. 

“In my experience, the people who are most satisfied with their legacy see themselves as long-term investors who build wealth steadily and methodically over time,” John explained. “That means they have the faith, discipline, and patience to allow that growth over a lifetime. It’s not simply looking at next month’s expenses or next year’s taxes. It’s about forging an achievable path to something greater and following that path each day.”

If you’re wondering where to start today, here are five steps to building a lasting legacy with purpose and intention.

 

1. Meaningful Communication 

It’s easy to get swept up in money talk. That’s why the first step is to engage in structured, productive dialogue about all the elements of a lasting family legacy, including the intangibles. At Vance Wealth, we encourage conversations about your monetary goals and your value-driven goals. 

“We typically guide and mediate those conversations in our office by inviting multiple generations to the table at one time,” John explained. “Then we can have those conversations about the bigger picture.” 

 

2. Shared Vision

Unless you establish a shared vision for your family wealth, it’s likely each family member will spend the money according to their own plan; yet, that kind of aimless spending could lead to the deterioration of your legacy over time. 

At Vance Wealth, we help each family member understand the purpose of their wealth, so you can arrive at – and protect – these decisions together. 

 

 

3. Intangible Values

Most families fail to focus on the intangible assets – such as philanthropy, higher education, community involvement, a perspective of gratitude, and impactful life experiences – because you can’t easily measure the contribution of these values with numbers. 

But at Vance Wealth, these intangibles are at the center of our legacy planning. When the conversation becomes too focused on wealth, we bring everyone back to the meaning behind the money. 

 

4. Trust 

Where there’s wealth to be shared, there’s often trust to be lost. Transparency is crucial when creating the kind of trust that binds a family together – rather than the secrecy that can tear a family apart. 

While that doesn’t mean you need to disclose everything immediately, these conversations help family members feel like they can trust your plan for the future, so they are much more likely to honor it. 

 

5. Attitude of Gratitude

After providing a lifetime of comfort and security for your family, you may notice a decrease in productivity and motivation in the next generation – simply because they didn’t have to build their legacy from the ground up. That’s why our legacy planning also focuses on passing along your work ethic and sense of gratitude, as well as your wealth. 

“At Vance Wealth, we discuss how to create the motivation and work ethic our clients used to amass their wealth in the first place,” John explained. “Oftentimes, this crucial factor is the key piece in a legacy plan that’s built to last.”

 

If you’re struggling to pass on the communication, trust, and values that helped you build your wealth in the first place, we are here to help you start a new dialogue. With our purpose-driven process and methodical approach, we can help you establish a framework that builds and protects your legacy for generations to come. Book an appointment today! 

 

The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice and it should not be relied on as such. It should not be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell a security. It does not take into account any investor’s particular investment objectives, strategies, tax status or investment horizon. You should consult your attorney or tax advisor.

Posted in Financial Planning, legacy