What is the legacy you are passing on? What do you wish you could impart to others, in your lifetime and beyond?
These are questions you may have asked yourself, particularly in this last year of pandemic. These questions get to the heart of legacy—the gifts, values, and family spirit that you instill in others. Nearly every effective philanthropic family, at some point or another, considers questions around legacy, such as:
- What is the change we most want to make in the world?
- How will current and future generations perceive the family giving?
- What are the core values that will remain across different giving styles and practices?
Many think of legacy as something they look back on rather than look forward to. Yet legacy is a choice, and it’s always evolving. And it’s something you and your family get to decide together.
The National Center for Family Philanthropy and Fidelity Charitable published Legacy in Family Philanthropy: A Modern Framework guide and family workbook, which features a blog post that Hammer & Associates wrote and previously published: 10 Questions to Help Start the Values Conversation. We hope you find these questions useful to reflect on, and other accessible tools to try in your family’s journey.
What conversations have you had with your family around values? And how have you captured your family legacy? Drop me a line. I always like to learn what’s working well, and where you might be stumped. We’re here to help.