Estate planning necessitates comprehensive and precise documentation to convey your intentions for asset management, distribution, and the care of your loved ones. Utilizing trusts—such as revocable, irrevocable, special needs, and Medicare protection trusts—can provide structure and legal safeguards to determine the course of action for your estate. However, the stringent nature of trust documents can sometimes leave your personal values, preferences, and insight underrepresented.

One solution to provide a more complete picture of your desires and unique insights to those responsible for managing your assets is to create a Letter of Wishes. This informal, non-binding document can supplement the legal components of your estate plan, conveying your personal intentions and guidance to those entrusted with the care of your estate and heirs.

A Letter of Wishes serves to fill in the gaps where trust documents and other legally binding estate planning instruments may not capture your individual preferences, offering trustees and beneficiaries a clearer understanding of your values, priorities, and rationale behind your estate planning decisions.

In this article, we will explore the role of a Letter of Wishes in the estate planning process, discussing how to create a meaningful and effective letter that complements the legal underpinnings of your estate plan. By learning how a Letter of Wishes can offer clarity and direction to your appointed trustees, you can ensure that your personal vision and values are communicated, while providing your loved ones with the guidance and understanding they need to honor your legacy.

1. Purposes and Benefits of a Letter of Wishes

A Letter of Wishes acts as a supplementary document to trust instruments, detailing your personal thoughts, preferences, and guidance for those managing your estate. Key purposes and advantages of incorporating a Letter of Wishes into your estate planning include:

Clarifying Your Intentions: A Letter of Wishes enables you to explain the rationale behind your estate planning decisions and preferences, offering trustees and beneficiaries essential context and clarity while managing your trusts.

Personalizing Your Estate Plan: Trust documents can sometimes be impersonal and rigid. A Letter of Wishes allows you to express your personal values, priorities, and hopes for your heirs and assets, humanizing the management and distribution of your estate.

Addressing Sensitive Matters: A Letter of Wishes can provide guidance on delicate or complex issues not typically included in legal documents, such as instructions for sentimental assets, ethical considerations, or personal preferences related to your heirs' education and well-being.

Flexible and Adaptable: Unlike formal trust documents, a Letter of Wishes is easy to update and revise, allowing you to continuously incorporate new perspectives and insights as your circumstances and priorities evolve.

2. Components of an Effective Letter of Wishes

A compelling and meaningful Letter of Wishes provides essential guidance to trustees and beneficiaries through thoughtful content and clarity. Components of an effective Letter of Wishes can include:

Detailed Guidance: Specify details and insights that may not be addressed in trust documents, providing clear guidance on maintaining or distributing assets, investment priorities, preferences for inheritance, or personal principles you wish to be upheld in your estate management.

Personal Values and Priorities: Express your unique values, beliefs, and vision for your estate and heirs, ensuring that those charged with managing your assets understand your priorities and approach to family dynamics or long-term goals.

Acknowledgment of Relationships: Acknowledge and address relationships among family members and beneficiaries, offering context and recommendations for navigating interpersonal matters that may not be covered in formal estate planning documents.

Confidentiality Expectations: Specify your desired level of discretion or confidentiality in sharing the contents of your Letter of Wishes with trustees, beneficiaries, and other interested parties.

3. Creating a Letter of Wishes: Best Practices and Legal Considerations

While creating a Letter of Wishes is a personal and informal process, there are some best practices and legal considerations to keep in mind:

Consult an Estate Planning Attorney: Discuss your intentions and goals for your Letter of Wishes with an experienced estate planning attorney, seeking guidance on content, structure, and best practices to ensure a meaningful and complementary addition to your estate plan.

Be Clear and Concise: Prioritize clarity and comprehensiveness in your letter, providing detailed instructions and easy-to-follow guidance for those responsible for managing your estate.

Maintain Consistency: Ensure that the instructions and guidance provided in your Letter of Wishes do not contradict or undermine the provisions outlined in your trust documents, will, or other legal estate planning instruments.

Review and Revise: Periodically review the content of your Letter of Wishes, updating it to reflect new circumstances, insights, or objectives to maintain consistency and relevance in your estate planning strategy.

4. Storing and Sharing Your Letter of Wishes

Safekeeping your Letter of Wishes and ensuring that your trustees have access to it when necessary is a crucial aspect of successful implementation:

Secure Storage: Keep the original copy of your Letter of Wishes in a safe, secure location, such as with your estate planning attorney, in a safe deposit box, or with your other important estate planning documentation.

Notify Your Trustees: Inform your trustees, executors, and other interested parties of the existence and location of your Letter of Wishes, ensuring they are aware of your expectations and guidelines when managing your estate.

Contemplate Sharing Copies: Consider sharing copies of your Letter of Wishes with trustees, beneficiaries, or other important parties as warranted, promoting transparency and understanding in the execution of your estate planning strategy.

Enhancing Estate Planning with a Letter of Wishes

Incorporating a Letter of Wishes into your estate planning toolkit can offer invaluable personal guidance and perspective to trustees and beneficiaries managing your revocable, irrevocable, special needs, and Medicare protection trusts. By conveying your individual preferences, values, and insights, you can contribute an authentic and humanizing element to your estate plan, ensuring a more comprehensive and considerate approach to the care of your assets and loved ones.

If you envision incorporating a Letter of Wishes into your estate planning strategy, consult with the experienced attorneys at Law Office of Rick Montalvo, PLLC. Our knowledgeable legal team can guide you in creating a thoughtful and effective Letter of Wishes that complements your estate plan and provides essential guidance to your appointed trustees. To get started on your unique Letter of Wishes journey, contact Law Office of Rick Montalvo, PLLC today to schedule a consultation with an estate planning law firm.