p


 
 
 
 

  


   

     !!"
  

‡ Your will is the keystone
of your estate plan. It
spells out how your
assets will be distributed
and how your
dependents will be cared
for after you die.
  
‡ If a will is properly
prepared, witnessed,
and signed, it ensures
that your wishes
regarding these
matters will be carried
out.

  # $
‡   
  $
%
‡ & $ $

. Be
  
.
aware that your surviving
spouse has a legal right
to inherit a portion of
your property. Normally,
you cannot do away with
this right in your will.
 h
'   (
‡ If you establish what is
called a "testamentary
trust," your assets will
automatically be
distributed to the people
you specify. Otherwise,
your property will be
distributed under the
supervision of a Probate
Court.

 
%
‡ Your name and place of
residence
‡ A brief description of your
assets
‡ Names of spouse, children
and other beneficiaries,
such as charities or friends
‡ Alternate beneficiaries, in
the event a beneficiary dies
before you do
 
 
 %
‡ Specific gifts, such as an
auto or residence
‡ Establishment of trusts,
if desired
‡ Cancellation of debts
owed to you, if desired
‡ Name of an executor to
manage the estate
 
 
 )%
‡ Name of a guardian for
minor children
‡ Name of an alternative
guardian, in the event
your first choice is
unable or unwilling to act
‡ Your signature
‡ Witnesses' signatures
ã

'

 *
'  + %

‡ Paying valid creditors

‡ Paying taxes
‡ Notifying Social Security and
other agencies and
companies of the death
‡ Canceling credit cards,
magazine subscriptions, etc.
‡ Distributing assets according
to the will
Y ,
  
‡ You will need to appoint
a guardian to care for
children who are younger
than 18.
‡ You also should appoint
a guardian for any
children who will be
unable to care for
themselves in adulthood.
 Y p ,

‡ A guardian will raise your

children until they reach
maturity.
‡ If your children are
young, consider naming
alternate guardians who
can step in if your
primary guardian dies or
becomes disabled.
  
   
$ '
  


(
‡ This trust specifies the
age at which the child
will receive his or her
inheritance.
‡ It also appoints a trustee
to manage that
inheritance until the child
takes possession.
 
  -+(-
‡ The executor will
manage and settle your
probate estate according
to your instructions.
‡ Make certain the person
you choose as your
executor is both willing
and able to serve.
h
  p.
‡ It is sometimes wise to
designate two executors
who can work together to
settle your affairs. One
executor could be an
individual, like a family
member or close friend.
‡ The other could be a bank
or an attorney with legal
and financial expertise, or
the Conference Trust
officer.
 &  h/ 0. 

‡ If you die without a will
(called "intestate") the
Probate Court will
appoint an administrator
to oversee and manage
your estate.
‡ The administrator's
duties can include
distributing your assets
and naming guardians
for your children.
Y
% 



 Y 1


‡ Be aware that the
administrator is
guided by local laws,
not your wishes,
‡ when he or she makes
decisions about your
estate.
 p
2
1
‡ The court may require
that the administrator be
bonded to ensure that he
or she properly performs
the required duties. Your
estate will pay the
bonding fee, the
administrator's fees, and
other legal fees.
h/ h & 
 3
‡ Don't be tempted to write
your own will. To be valid, a
will must comply strictly
with your state law. That law
might require that a will
contain specific language, be
signed in a particular way,
and have a certain number
of witnesses.
 s0

4
‡ Only about half the
states recognize
"homemade" wills. Even
in these states, your
homemade will may not
stand up in court if it
contains language that
could be easily
misunderstood.

  1 h &.
‡ If a disgruntled family
member attacks your
homemade will in court,
he or she could have the
entire document declared
invalid.
‡ If this happens, the state
would distribute your
property as if you did not
have a will.
  ã.' 

‡ A revocable living trust
can be an excellent tool
for solving a number of
issues confronting
individuals and families
today,
p.
'
‡ including the avoidance
of probate, the
management of property
during incapacity,
  5

‡ the protection of
property for beneficiaries
who can·t handle money
on their own, protection
from disgruntled heirs,
6 +

‡ the elimination or
minimization of federal
estate taxes and state
death taxes, and the
assurance that personal
affairs will remain
private.
  


‡ s

 
 

















  *$
   &
ppã ã


‡ The AARP publication

"A Consumer's Guide to
Living Trusts and Wills
(D14535)" describes how
wills, probate, and
revocable living trusts
work.
‡ It can help you decide
which document is right
for you. This publication
is not a do-
do-it
it--yourself
manual.
*   p
‡ If you think you need a will
or living trust, talk with an
attorney who has experience
in estate planning. For one
free copy of the booklet,
send an e-
e-mail to
member@aarp.org.. Include
member@aarp.org
your name, mailing address,
the publication title, and the
publication number
(D14535).
5   
 h
‡ Your conference or
institutional Trust
Services & Planned
Giving department has
certified representatives
who can provide you
with valuable
information, and help
you secure the
documents you need.
  h

‡ ´Historically here in Africa

many were illiterate so that
wills were made orally very
near to death.
‡ For that reason people
today still feel that making
a written will somehow
hastens death.µ³J.Oriema
Okoth, Nairobi advocate
  0.  
‡ You have a choice: either
pay a lawyer a little to
draft a will for you
‡ Or die intestate and your
estate will pay a lot later
to clear up unclear and
unresolved issues.
ã

' #$

‡ ´«Christians [should]
think Christianly about
end--of-
end of-life financial
issues. Being heavenly
minded isn·t enough³
enough³
everyone has an
obligation for
responsible stewardship
of estate planning.µ Chuck
Colson
 & 
ã
*
‡ ´Inheritance is risky business,
often damaging lives,
marriages and children. Few
of us bring an eternal
perspective to leaving money
behind or to handling
unearned wealth. But God
has entrusted us with His
assets and we need to
consider how best to invest
them in eternity.µ³
eternity.µ³Randy
Alcorn, author of M



 



 p   ,
‡ ´Making a will to benefit
God·s Church is one of
the best forms of
expressing our gratitude
to God for what He has
given us«.µ
‡ Pastor Ruy Nagel
Former -President, South
American Division
   $6
‡ "I would like to see
that all that God has
enabled me to acquire
on earth is used to
honor His name
while I am living and
when I am dead.
 1

 7

 7

‡ The best known
way for me to
ensure that this
happens is to
express this
through a written
WILL.µ ²Vice President of
the General Conference