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independence or security. Still, others help
their children establish a plan for retirement
savings. Yet, almost everybody that walks
through the threshold of my office is prepared
to make the single largest gift to their children
without any guidance or teaching, any
message, any restrictions or prohibitions by
passing away without an estate plan or with an
estate plan that provides only for the transfer
of assets – no guidance, no direction, no
perpetuation of values.

Whatever is important to you, I encourage you
to use your estate plan as an opportunity to
perpetuate your core values. Your estate plan
will likely be the largest gift you will ever give to
your children. I had a client once explain to me
how he was concerned that passing his wealth
to his child might leave the child in a worse
position than had he never accumulated
wealth at all. That should be the question that
you ask yourself. “Am I enhancing their life
with my estate plan?” Am I potentially,
fundamentally changing the course of their life,
or the person they are to become, by
smothering them with my wealth?”

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