Many people living in Nevada are well aware of the importance of estate planning. These individuals often take steps to write and update wills, designate beneficiaries on their insurance policies and retirement accounts and craft extensive end-of-life directives. However, there are some assets that many people overlook. These are the valuable memories, stories and family history that may exist in a person’s mind, scrapbooks, journals or blog posts. While this content may have negligible monetary value, it is essential for family members, even those who are not yet born, to have access to it.
After all, there is strong evidence to show that children who are aware of their family history often have better self-esteem and are more empathetic. Instead of leaving it to surviving family members to pass along stories secondhand, an individual may want to consider developing a personal archive of material that can be duplicated and circulated among loved ones.
For some individuals, however, gathering this material and distributing it may be a daunting task. One option is to ask family members to each take turns in scanning and dating written materials while also recording video of an older family member talking about his or her experiences. Archiving and preserving this content can become a family project.
Individuals and couples who want to develop a holistic estate plan may benefit from speaking with an experienced attorney. Counsel may be able to assist with drafting a will and addressing other legal matters, while also ensuring that family documents and digital content will be preserved for future generations in accordance with the client’s wishes.