Personal Legacy Advisors Blog

Reflecting on generational bias

April 3, 2012

Recently I attended a two day training put on by the organization 21/64, an arm of Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies. The tagline for 21/64 is Strategic Philanthropy Through the Generations, which is a great summary of the content of the training, which I recommend to anyone who is interested in nurturing intergenerational connection and [...]

What IS an ethical will anyway?

March 30, 2012

I get this question all the time – and no wonder, its name certainly doesn’t reflect its rich history or beautiful purpose. Here is a good summary that I created a few months ago for Association of Personal Historians website.

The Wealth of Your Life guidebook featured as a resource in December Horizons Magazine

December 15, 2011

Kentucky pastor Desiree Youngblood wrote a great piece on ethical wills this month for Horizons Magazine, the magazine for Presbyterian women. She helps her readers imagine themselves creating a legacy letter by asking them to answer the question of why they are writing. She offers this list to consider: I am writing this ethical will [...]

The best gift of all: your genuine interest

December 15, 2011

Here we are at December again! With all the rituals and festivities, it’s the month that promises moments of transcendence from the ordinary. We all know how much stress can be attached to trying to meet those expectations! But right under your nose is the means to find those special moments – stress free. Where? [...]

“Open Mic” interview prompts reflections on good conversation

October 26, 2011

It was a privilege to be interviewed today by Appreciative Inquiry expert and coach Ed Jacobson. You can listen to the audio here. A good interview can bring new insights to the person being interviewed, and that’s happened today when Ed quoted – or paraphrased – poet Ed Whyte  who said, “You know you have [...]

Reflections on a long season away

October 6, 2011

These last few months I have stood witness to the best and worst of life: the joyful wedding of our son, followed by the sudden illness and death of my mother.  Being that I am in the “words” business and the “wisdom” business, I feel a certain pressure to make sense of these events and [...]

Musings: How the ordinary becomes extraordinary

July 11, 2011

Exactly 100 years ago young journalist, photographer and aspiring seaman Frederick William Wallace joined the crew of a fishing schooner sailing out of Digby, Nova Scotia. He got hooked, signed on as an active hand for six more voyages to the Grand Banks and then, in lively prose and amazing photographs, set about to capture [...]

Susan Turnbull guest on NCFP webinar: capturing values and intent

July 6, 2011

I will be a guest speaker on a webinar July 14 (noon, EST) hosted by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, speaking on the topic of documenting donor intent: Seeding Your Family’s Philanthropy: Ethical Wills and Donor Legacy Statements. Also speaking will be Jane Leighty Justice of the Leighty Foundation and Lissa Widoff of the [...]

Article in Advisor Perspectives: Women Want to Leave a Legacy

June 24, 2011

I co-authored (with Kristan Wojnar, Guggenheim Funds) an article that appeared in Advisor Perspectives this week: Women Want to Leave a Legacy. There are many immediately useful ideas to use with your female clients – to focus on what matters most to them and move your conversations into deeper territory. Ask a woman to define [...]

Helping Hospice thank its donors

May 26, 2011

Thank you to Hospice of the North Shore and Greater Boston for inviting me to speak to their donors and friends today at a lovely luncheon program at the Salem Country Club. HNSGB is growing very strongly – not only in their physical presence, but in the programs they are offering patients and their families. [...]