Legacy is Love: Plan for the People You Care About

According to the Legal Zoom, 56% of Americans believe that estate planning is important, but only 45% of adults in the U.S. have documented their end-of-life plans. 

Legacy planning, at its heart, is love carried forward—an enduring reflection of your faith, values, and devotion to the people and causes you care about. So, why aren’t more people securing their legacy?

Two reasons, according to Caring.com, are that Americans feel they don’t have enough assets to justify creating an estate plan, and 43% of American adults say they don't have a will because they haven't gotten around to it. Time and money.

When we take time to carefully plan our legacy, we’re not merely organizing finances or drafting documents; we’re prayerfully shaping how God’s blessing in our lives will continue to bless others—it’s purpose-driven planning that reflects our faith, values, and vision for the future. In doing so, we leave more than resources behind—we leave a testimony of gratitude and hope that can inspire future generations. No matter how many assets you leave behind, it’s the heart of the matter that is important to your loved ones. 

Consider Proverbs 13:22, which reads, “the good leave an inheritance to their children’s children...” The inheritance extends far beyond material wealth—it encompasses the wisdom you’ve gained, the faith that has sustained you, the stories of your life’s journey, and the values that have guided your walk with God. It’s also the vision you hold for ministry and for the future of the UCC community you helped shape. Ultimately your legacy becomes a living expression of God’s goodness in your life—one that continues to bless, inspire, and strengthen those you love.

What will you pass down?

Legacy planning invites us to consider how we might steward all that God has given us—our time, talents, resources, and relationships in the ways we lived our lives and served others.

While practical steps matter in legacy planning—writing a will, updating your beneficiaries, creating trusts, and setting clear plans for charitable giving—equally important is the spiritual side of your legacy. Have your shared your story of faith? Have you told your children or grandchildren how God has guided your life journey? A simple letter of blessing, a recorded message, or a written testimony can become cherished gifts and a guiding light for those who come after you.

FreeWill

Legacy planning is also an opportunity to give back to the ministries and missions that have shaped your walk with God. Through the Pension Boards’ partnership with National Ministries in the Together for Tomorrow legacy campaign, you can create a legal will with ease using FreeWill, an easy-to-use platform for writing wills. You can make a planned gift to Ministerial Assistance to help meet the future needs of our ministers, church workers, and their families, or choose another charitable organization or church of your choice. Start here today at freewill.com/pbucc.

Including your church organization in your plans turns temporary resources into lasting impact, helping Gods’ work continue in your name and for a lifetime.

Ultimately, legacy planning is love in action—a sacred act of stewardship that proclaims, “All I have, and all I am, belong to God.” Through intentional planning, you extend your story far beyond your lifetime, allowing them to bear fruit in the lives of those you cherish most. In this way, you embody the timeless trust that love never fails and never ends—it simply finds news ways to bless others.

*Through FreeWill, you can designate a gift in your will to Ministerial Assistance, the National Ministries of the United Church of Christ, your local Church or Conference, or another organization. You do not have to make a charitable gift in your will to use FreeWill.