What in your life do you value the most? Please take a moment and think about it. At the end of the day, what matters more to you than anything else in the world? I’ll bet most you have endearing thoughts about:

• People you care about - your children and grandchildren, spouse or partner, parents, etc.
• The memories you share with those you love - perhaps the first time you met.
• The values and life lessons that have shaped your life.
• Personal possessions of emotional value - maybe dad's baseball glove.
• Your wishes and dreams for a better tomorrow...

I suppose you could add money, real-estate and our material possessions to the list. Chances are, however, they are not as important to you. In fact, a recent landmark study found that money wasn't high on the list of people's real priorities. An individual's "values and life lessons" were overwhelmingly considered (by over 75 percent) the most important element of a person's legacy.

If these assumptions hold true in your life, then you should strongly consider building a legacy plan. A legacy plan is very different from that of your estate plan. Estate planning is about passing on valuables - money and inheritance; legacy planning is about passing on your values - the important yet intangible facets of life. It addresses your non-financial leave-behinds like ethics, morality, faith, and religion. Legacy planning also addresses questions like "How do I want to be remembered? What kind of legacy do I want to leave? What are my values and wishes that I want to have passed on? What about my personal possessions?"

Legacy planning's roots go back to the 15^th century when it was common for people to draft an ethical will in addition to his or her legal will. Heirs often found the information contained in the ethical will to be of utmost importance. Family values and traditions trumped the possessions and assets.

While legacy planning is powerful (and in my opinion very necessary) it can also be daunting if you have never done it. The best way to build your own legacy plan is to seek the expertise of Colgan Capital. We employ the Holistic Legacy Planning Process™, a proven four step process that will teach you all you need to know and assist you in the creation of your own plan. Our service also provides you with a free subscription to our nationally acclaimed legacy planning software - a perfect tool to facilitate and protect your plan.

Why the sudden excitement about legacy planning? Well, as many of you may know I have been writing and speaking on this topic for several years. What many of you probably do not know is that I have become recognized nationally as the pioneer of legacy planning - a topic which is now exploding with popularity all across the nation.

The excitement of seeing my ideas being embraced throughout the financial services industry has given me the confidence needed to offer this service at Colgan Capital. As a valued client, I want to make sure that you have the chance to leave your loved ones a legacy to be proud of.

Show others how much you care. Getting started is surprisingly easy and it is never too early to start. Just give us a call to schedule an appointment; we’ll guide you from start to finish. For the months of May and June Colgan Capital is offering our legacy planning service and software subscription at no charge. So no excuses folks! Take charge and make sure your loved ones will be left with a legacy that you can be proud of they can share for future generations.