You Are Worth More Than Your Stuff

Estate planning traditionally focuses on your financial assets. But there's more to you than your physical wealth, Laura Roser reveals the following excerpt* from her book, Your Meaning Legacy. What about your wisdom, beliefs, values, important family traditions and stories? What about passing on crucial knowledge about your business, money management or other skills?

Oftentimes, people don't think about the intangibles they should pass on to their heirs. Because estate planning is so wrapped up in transferring financial assets, figuring out how to pass on your real estate, investments and collectibles becomes the goal. Once your financial team hands you your estate plan, you think you've got all your bases covered: You've got life insurance, a trust to avoid probate, an appointed executor and so on.

Financial structuring, however, is only a piece