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.

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.

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.

Merrill Lynch gives good advice about creating an ethical will

August 14, 2010

A good article appeared today published by Merrill Lynch that makes the case for creating an ethical will and provides some good ideas for what can go into ...

Billionaires Challenge Each Other to Give Big

June 22, 2010

Read this fascinating story in last week's Fortune about the secretive gathering of billionaires last year, meeting to talk about the difference they could make if they all agreed ...

Financial advisor sums up the value of an ethical will

June 17, 2010

Today's webinar for financial and legal advisors on how to incorporate ethical wills into client conversations was, as these classes always are, as insightful for me as I believe ...