News Archives
June 2010
Vanguard Charitable article highlights work of Susan Turnbull - June 23, 2010
Brad Caswell, COO of the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Fund, emphasizes the importance of good communication when it comes to setting a philanthropic example for heirs. He mentions Susan Turnbull and her advocacy of the ethical will as an effective tool for articulating, reinforcing and perpetuating the values that led to the decision to give.
April 2010
The Atlantic Trust Advisor highlights ethical will expertise of Susan Turnbull - April 21, 2010
This month, The Advisor magazine provided a great overview of the ethical wills, quoting these tips by Susan Turnbull:
1. Start today. If you were not here tomorrow, what is the most important thing you would not want left unsaid. Write it down – you’ve begun.
2. Relax. You’re not trying to write for the Pulitzer Prize. What you create is a gift of yourself, made for those you love, not for an imaginary panel passing judgment on your life or your writing.
3. Ask yourself: What do I want to make sure my loved ones know and have in writing?
4. Consider the process a work in progress. Don’t let the feeling that it has to be “perfect” from the beginning paralyze you.
5. Be yourself. You cannot bequeath what you never owned to begin with, right?
6. Be careful. Be loving. The reach of your words is unknowable.
7. Make sure it’s easy to find. Keep the file accessible, so you can add to it easily. Either keep it with your legal papers or affix a note there about where to find it. You want to make sure your words find their intended audience.
8. Share it! Consider sharing it during your lifetime, even as you know you may add to it or change it. You will be rewarded with many positive consequences.
March 2010
Dr. Dale Atkins highlights Ethical Will guide by Susan Turnbull - March 7, 2010
Today Show commentator and author of Sanity Savors: Tips for Women to Lead a Balanced Life, highlighted ethical wills in her March web column and recommended The Wealth of Your Life as a useful guide.
February 2010
Frank Purdue’s Ethical Will highlighted - February 15, 2010
Biography on CNBC is airing a show about Perdue Farms founder Frank Purdue today at 2 pm EST. One of the primary ways they are promoting this segment is by displaying the ethical will he wrote for his grandchildren. Read it here.
December 2009
Times Herald column promotes ethical wills and recommends Susan Turnbull’s guidebook - December 21, 2009
Estate Planning attorney Matthew Wallace explores the dilemma parents face when their heirs do not share their core values. Should they give their material assets to promote values with which they don’t agree?
Susan Turnbull interviewed for Farm Journal Legacy Project - December 9, 2009
Perhaps because of agriculture’s close ties to the land and nature, few industries match its strong moral, ethical and religious underpinnings. In many cases, it is those beliefs and culture that bring the next generation back to the farm after working elsewhere. Yet, as agriculture grows more competitive, even on the farm, values may be buried in the day-to-day scramble to get things done. At risk is the survival of the family’s soul.
Susan Turnbull accepted into FPA Speakers Bureau - December 2, 2009
Susan has been sanctioned as an approved speaker by the Financial Planning Association. Competency areas: Communication and Relationship Skills. CFP Board Topics: Client Trust and Estate Planning.
Advisor Perspective Newsletter: 10 Ways to Connect with Your Client’s Children - December 1, 2009
There are lots of good ideas in this article for advisors. # 5 on this list of 10 ideas is to encourage the creation of personal legacy documents, and includes comments by Susan Turnbull.
November 2009
National Center for Family Philanthropy Newsletter - November 17, 2009
NCFP publicized the publication of Across Generations: A Five Step Guide for Creating an Expression of Donor Intent.
August 2009
Newsday: Where There’s an Ethical Will There’s a Way to Add Your Valued Beliefs - August 8, 2009
A quote from Susan led off this article in the Long Island newspaper, Newsday: “An ethical will is really a love letter…”
CFA Magazine: Closing the Generation Gap - August 1, 2009
Susan was quoted in this article about how advisors can build deeper intergenerational relationships with clients and their families.
November 2008
Financial advisor Rick Kahler reflects on the experience of writing his ethical will - November 8, 2008
Rick Kahler is a nationally known financial advisor who has authored several books about financial life planning, focused especially on how often unconscious “money scripts” control people’s attitudes and behavior. He was a participant in a day-long workshop that Susan led in partnership Money Quotient.
July 2008
Research Magazine: Profiles in Success - July 31, 2008
Susan was highlighted in this magazine for financial advisors. “Ethical wills, first popularized in the Middle Ages, are making a comeback – linking the “hard” and “soft” sides of estate and financial planning. Leading the charge? Susan Turnbull…“
