We all do.  As we progress from young adulthood into marriage, parenthood, middle age, and, finally, retirement, each stage of life is accompanied by a changing set of “what ifs” and other circumstances that require documented planning to carry out effective Christian stewardship.

That planning is crucial during our lifetime and upon our death.  Estate planning designed for use during your lifetime generally addresses finances, asset management, decision making (including medical decisions). Estate planning taking effect at death generally addresses  children’s needs, taxation accommodations, charitable bequests, estate management, and the distribution of your estate.   Without a documented estate plan, you let state law and the courts make all decisions relating to the care of your minor children, as well as who manages and receives your estate.

Sorry, procrastination is not an option — when you REALLY know that you need estate planning documentation, it’s too late to sign it!

As God’s money managers, we owe Him nothing less than our best efforts to timely, thoroughly, loyally and conscientiously administer what has been temporarily entrusted to us.

Single Individuals

Wise planning is necessary for singles, whether one’s age is one score (20) or four (80).  Spontaneity is a treasured hallmark of youth, but, no age group is immune from accident or calamity. A few moments taken to soberly plan for one’s future will ensure that no unforeseen incident or other event will interrupt the orderly management of our affairs. Although we may start with few assets and a youthful feeling of invincibility, maturity carries with it greater understanding, an increasing accumulation of wealth and more exposure to life’s perils of disability, disease, disaster and death.  Who will see to our affairs if we cannot?  To whom should those life insurance proceeds (or insurance recovery) go...and do they really need it?  What portion will I dedicate back to Kingdom causes?

Young Marrieds and Parents

The necessity of wise planning grows right along with our families.  With marriage we become co-managers of the gifts God has placed in our hands. God bestows upon us the additional gift of a spouse and, perhaps, children along with added responsibilities. We and our beloved deserve each other’s every effort to ensure that our affairs and attention to responsibilities are in order, whatever circumstance may grace or befall our family. Young married couples and parents must evaluate the sufficiency of finances for the health, support and education of our spouse and children if we are disabled or die, while ensuring that an unwise distribution from our estate does not become a contributing factor to the distraction or harm of our children.  Further, it is vitally important that we specify trustworthy persons to serve as guardians should our children become orphaned, and that they continue to raise our children in the fear of our Lord as the next generation of the faithful.  And, as we do all this, young, impressionable minds are observing and absorbing our every example of management (or mismanagement) of the Kingdom gifts on loan to us from God.

The Middle Ages,Empty-nesters, and Grandparents

Maturing into middle age introduces each of us to new challenges.  It is during these years that our cost of living decreases (the children are out of the house); our earning power is at its greatest; and our farms and businesses peak in value. We are faced with establishing a correct balance between our role as God’s money managers, the inexorable lure of materialism, and our growing interest in laying up an adequate nest egg for retirement. The possibility of an estate tax bite out of our estate lurks in the shadows and, even darker, a realization of our own mortality begins to loom as parents, relatives, and perhaps classmates pass on.  While most of the same questions and concerns we asked and answered with planning at a younger age still linger, we must now revisit our prior planning to ensure that our changing situation is fully and rightly addressed, and that our management of God’s assets continues to be a God-honoring model for our children (and grandchildren).

Retired Saints

Retirement from the work force adds another Kingdom gift to those requiring our faithful management...one’s time! Our stabilized situation now affords us an opportunity to judge the adequacy of our retirement finances; perhaps some at one end of the economic scale must forthrightly concede that they could divest themselves of a portion of their holdings and still have more than sufficient resources for their projected retirement needs, while others must face the reality of having to resort to government assistance for their continued care. The spiritual and financial position of our children is, by this time, likely evident and we can determine whether a sizeable inheritance would indeed be more harmful than helpful to their life’s journey.  Careful planning is again necessary in all these circumstances to responsibly administer our allotted share of Kingdom gifts.