What happens after we die? It’s not something we talk about very often, yet it’s important to our loved ones we leave behind. In this episode of the Inheritance of Hope Podcast, you will hear from Jordan Cassidy, co-founder of LifeLegacy, as he guides us step-by step through the process of creating a will. He explains last will and testament, advanced health care directive, and financial power of attorney documents that are all available 24/7 for free through our website.
Anyone Can Make a Will for Free
In this episode of the Inheritance of Hope Podcast, host Ellie Ledin sat down with LifeLegacy’s CEO Jordan Cassidy to talk about the importance of starting a will, regardless of age.
About 70% of Americans don’t have a will, but this partnership between Inheritance of Hope and Life Legacy aims to change that percentage by offering free wills for anyone to create.
Jordan started this organization with his brothers in 2020. They were inspired to create LifeLegacy because their father was diagnosed with a brain tumor that he dealt with for around 14 years. When their father passed, the Cassidy brothers decided that his legacy could live on forever through the help they give other families in similar situations. “Helping Americans leave legacies all across the country, thousands of people every year–it’s really phenomenal to see,” Cassidy said.
Through this service, you can create an all-inclusive will that contains the will and testament itself, an advanced healthcare directive, and a financial power of attorney document. Below is an overview of what each document does and why you should consider creating your own.
What is a Will and Testament?
A will and testament is a legal document which explains how your assets should be distributed once you pass away. This document can also detail what your last wishes are for your family.
Some examples of this are clarifying:
- Gifts to loved ones
- Plans for your funeral or final ceremony
- Details about any pets and how they should be taken care of
What is an Advanced Healthcare Directive?
An advanced healthcare directive lets people know your medical care preferences if you’re unable to make decisions.
Examples of this are:
- Specifying if you want to be on life support or not
- What quality of life you want
What is a Financial Power of Attorney Document?
A financial power of attorney document is a legal document where you give someone you trust the power to manage your finances if you’re ever unable to do so.
Examples of this are:
- Allowing someone else to pay for the mortgage
- Allowing someone else to pay for the utilities
- Allowing someone to help you avoid going into delinquency by making payments on time
Get Started Today
As mentioned before, many Americans haven’t even begun thinking about this process and it’s for various reasons.
According to USA Today, the top three reasons why people avoid writing a will is because they:
- Procrastinte
- Don’t think they have enough assets to give to their families
- And they believe the process is too difficult/costly
To curb these obstacles, this service is available everyday. Your will can be made at your own pace so that the process is less overwhelming. If you have any questions about the sections on each form or legal terminology, you can always reach out to [email protected] for more information.
To officiate these forms, they then have to be notarized and witnessed before becoming legally binding.
For other services, LifeLegacy collaborates with several other nonprofits and organizations who specialize in life insurance or even packaging physical materials depending on what’s written down in someone’s will.
Currently this collaboration has over 170 wills started and counting. Throughout the year, Inheritance of Hope celebrates Make-A-Will Month in August and National Estate Planning Week in October, highlighting this free resource.
These documents don’t have to be set in stone the moment you begin writing them, in fact, Jordan himself wrote a will around the time his son Jack was born and he was about to visit Cambodia, only to revise it several times since then. All that matters is that you get started whenever you can so there is a plan in place for the future.
This Make-A-Will Month, we encourage you to be intentional and create your will. Get started today >>
Kennedy Owens a Content Contributor for Inheritance of Hope. She is currently studying at Florida Southern College with a major in advertising and public relations, and is an active participant on her school campus as the Event Coordinator for the Young Adults Self Advocates club and Brand Manager for the school’s radio station The Hiss. She enjoys all things writing-related and likes to serve her community the best she can.