Write a Will Week
Stephen Bailey
If you have had someone in your life pass away without them planning for their death, you know how difficult it can be handling the aftermath. Knowing that your loved ones are going to be dealing with the grief of your own loss, one of the best things you can do is to have a will that will handle all of the legal work regarding your assets, distribution of property, disbursement of money, and how the care of minors is handled.
Instead of looking at the creation of a will as a burden, I started to look at it as an opportunity to take control over what happens to what is left of everything I create and was a part of, after I am gone. Thanks to the opportunity presented by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in 2017, I signed up for Write a Will Week. I also had my spouse sign up for a session, as well.
We were assisted by a local attorney that was fluent in the creation of a will and everything we needed to know. He had answers to all of our questions and gave us answers to the questions that we didn’t even think to ask. The paperwork was in front of us and all we had to do was have a simple conversation and fill out a number of forms. Thanks to the Community Foundation, it also allowed me the opportunity to make a donation to my favorite nonprofit in the region, Northeast Indiana Public Radio, after my passing.
It was such an easy experience and not nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be. It made me feel like a real adult being able to handle everything not only in my life but also in my death so that when that time comes, I know that my family won’t be bothered with trying to handle my assets and information the way I would have hoped for. I left feeling empowered and really thankful to the Community Foundation for creating this free opportunity to the public. I highly recommend signing up for one of the limited open spots during Write a Will Week!
2021 Write a Will Week Information
What’s Write a Will Week?
Write a Will Week is an opportunity to sit down with an attorney and write a Simple Will. Simple Wills that contain at minimum one charitable bequest will be written for free.* This year the attorney will be Joshua Brukhardt with Hunt Suedhoff Kearney LLP.
*Each Will has to contain a charitable contribution (or otherwise known as a bequest) to at least one nonprofit agency of your choice. If there is no charitable bequest in the will, it will not be considered free. There is a $100 minimum for the amount of the charitable bequest.
When can I make an appointment?
Appointments at the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne will be scheduled in 30-minute increments. You can make an appointment by calling 260-426-4083, when you call, ask about your form.
Monday, October 18, 2021 – 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Thursday, October 21, 2021 – 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
When’s the deadline to sign up?
October 15, 2021, is the deadline for signing up.
What do I need to have done before my appointment?
You will need to have your form completed and with you for your appointment. Please email Amanda to receive a copy of your form if you didn’t get one after you made an appointment.
If you have any questions please call 260-426-4083.