Creating a will often begins with uncertainty. It requires us to make difficult choices and ask hard questions that many of us would rather put off.

But what if we thought of it differently? What if we looked beyond the legal paperwork and financial decisions and remembered that a will is really a love letter?

A will is a deeply personal message of hope and care—a love letter to the future. It says, “These are the people and places I loved. These are the values that guided my life. This is the community I hope will continue to flourish.” In that sense, a will is one of the longest-lasting expressions of love we can make.

This idea is reflected beautifully by Janet McLane. Janet is a member of our Legacy Circle—a community of individuals and families who have included the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound in their estate plans. Asked about the “why” behind that choice, Janet said:

"There are many difficult decisions one faces when making a will or estate plan. When I chose to include the Community Foundation in my own plan, I experienced an immediate sense of reassurance and gratitude that I could still contribute to my community after I am gone. I have found myself dreaming about the many ways the Foundation might use my funds in the future to support others and strengthen our region. Being part of the Legacy Circle is very satisfying to me in this way."  

Janet captures something that is sometimes lost in estate planning. A will isn’t just about deciding what happens after we're gone. It's about honoring all that we love—the people, places, and values that shaped our lives—and deciding how that love might continue long into the future.

More Than a Legal Document

Each August, National Make-A-Will Month invites us to look beyond paperwork and reflect on the people, places, and values we hope our legacy will continue to support.

For some people, that means ensuring children or grandchildren are cared for. For others, it's about reducing uncertainty for loved ones during an already difficult time. And for many, it's also an opportunity to support the organizations and communities that have made a difference throughout their lives.

At the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound, we've seen how legacy gifts continue creating opportunities long after they're made. They become scholarships for students, grants for local nonprofits, investments in neighborhoods, and flexible resources that help communities respond to changing needs.

Each planned gift reflects an individual's values. Together, those gifts help make more possible for communities across the South Sound.

Legacy Giving Is for Everyone

One of the most common misconceptions about planned giving is that it's only for people with significant wealth. In reality, many legacy gifts come from individuals and families of ordinary means who simply want to leave their community stronger than they found it.

Planned gifts are future gifts, often made through a will or estate plan, which take effect in the future. Some donors choose to leave a specific dollar amount, while others designate a percentage of their estate. Gifts of all sizes can have a lasting impact, especially in a community like ours where they’re combined with the generosity of others.

Community members who include the Foundation in their estate plans are invited to join our Legacy Circle, which celebrates individuals and families committed to strengthening the South Sound for generations to come. Legacy Circle members become part of something bigger, joining others with a shared commitment to local giving and a future where everyone in Lewis, Mason, and Thurston counties can thrive.

Among those Legacy Circle members is Todd Monohon, whose commitment to our region’s future is rooted in gratitude for the place he has called home for decades.  

“I have a profound sense of gratitude for the opportunities, support and, yes, even the challenges that our wider community has provided me over the past 40 years of my life,” he said. “I appreciate our community’s history, revel in its current beauty and human vibrancy, and am bullish on its future, provided we all work together.”

Janet McLane and Todd Monohon each followed their own path to legacy giving, but both found themselves looking beyond today’s decisions to the opportunities they hope to make possible for generations to come. This future-focused perspective is where legacy gifts find their deepest meaning—not simply in what they leave behind, but in what they make possible.

Starting Is Easier Than You Might Think

Many people put off creating a will because they assume the process will be complicated, expensive, or time-consuming.

That's one reason the Community Foundation partnered with FreeWill earlier this year. FreeWill is a secure online estate planning platform that helps individuals easily create or update a simple will at no cost, often in about 20 minutes. It provides an accessible starting point for people who are ready to put their wishes in writing.  

People with more complex family, financial, or estate planning circumstances should consult with an estate planning attorney and, as appropriate, a tax or financial advisor. FreeWill can still be a useful place to begin. The process can help you gather basic information, consider important decisions, and identify questions to discuss with your professional advisors.

FreeWill also offers tools to help you review beneficiary designations for retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and other financial assets. Because these assets typically pass directly to the beneficiaries you’ve named rather than through your will, reviewing them is an important part of ensuring your plans reflect your current wishes.

If supporting the South Sound is part of the legacy you'd like to leave, you also have the option of including the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound as a beneficiary. Depending on your circumstances, this approach may provide tax advantages while allowing you to continue using your assets during your lifetime and create a lasting charitable legacy.

Ready to Write Your Love Letter?

Most love letters are written for a single person, but a will has the power to reach many. It can provide security for family members, support organizations that strengthen our whole community, and continue expressing what matters most to a person or family far beyond their individual lifetimes.

As Janet McLane discovered, creating an estate plan can bring more than peace of mind. It can also bring the hopeful satisfaction of knowing that your generosity and love for your community will continue creating opportunities for others.

Todd Monohon shares a similar sense of hope when he looks toward the future. In addition to including the Community Foundation in his estate plans, he’s also established a Donor Advised Fund to carry that legacy forward. “I hope that my daughter and her cousins (and their offspring) will continue to advise the fund for generations to come,” he said, “and that through this process they too will understand what generosity of spirit means for a healthy community.”  

This National Make-A-Will Month, we invite you to consider taking your next step:

• Use the Community Foundation’s FreeWill planning tool to create or update your will at no cost, learn about beneficiary designations, and explore other ways to make a planned gift.

• Explore the Legacy Circle and learn more about how future gifts help strengthen the South Sound.  

• Already included the Community Foundation in your estate plans? Let us know so we can welcome you to the Legacy Circle and help ensure your charitable intentions are honored.

• Ready to take the next step in planning your legacy? Contact our Philanthropy Team at giving@thecommunityfoundation.com or call our office directly at 360.705.3340 to start a conversation.

These small steps just might be the opening lines of the most enduring love letter you ever write.