According to wikiHow’s “How to Write a Love Letter” by Crista Beck, prepare to write a love letter by setting the mood: going somewhere...
According to wikiHow’s “How to Write a Love Letter” by Crista Beck, prepare to write a love letter by setting the mood: going somewhere private to reflect on your feelings, think about the person you love, use memories to guide you, think about the future and consider if it was your last day on earth.
Coincidentally, these are all things you do to prepare in anticipation of writing your Will. Regardless of whether you write your own Will or have someone draft it for you, the exact same method of preparing to write a love letter is used to write a Will. You think about those you love, using memories to guide you and think about the future as if it were your last day on earth and what/how you would want to provide for your loved ones when you are no longer there.
According to Beck, the next step in creating a love letter is to draft it choosing “nice” stationary, it is important to date the love letter and finally, sign it. Again, these are all things you do when making a Will. Typically, Wills are printed on higher quality stationary and must be dated and signed to be legally valid.
Some may argue that a Will is made for the peace of mind of the person making the Will (the testator) and so it cannot be a love letter. However, making a Will is never really for the testator because he/she will not be alive to see it come to fruition. By definition, a Will crystalizes at the time of death, it has no validity until the testator dies. For example, you cannot take a Will to a bank showing you are the beneficiary of an account and demand the bank invest the funds according to your instructions if the testator is still alive.
Even parents who choose to make a Will in order to ensure they get to choose a Guardian for their children are doing so, not for themselves, but for the welfare and wellbeing of their children. Their Wills will be love letters for their children. Similarly, a parent who creates a Will to cut out a child from inheriting is also writing a love letter to that child, one of tough love.
Without a Will and an estate plan in place, family and friends are left scrambling. Add grief and sorrow to the mix and it is easy to see that having a Will in place is the greatest and most final love letter you can write.
This Valentine’s Day, consider writing the ultimate love letter to your loved ones: your Will.
© 2023 Make Your Own Wills
