We all know Aunt Mildred’s and Grandpa Joe’s stories like the back of our hands—how many times have you heard that one tale? Yet, one day, you might find yourself wishing you could hear their voices and laughter again as they recall those cherished memories. This holiday season, consider preserving these stories for future generations by doing a “Legacy Interview” with someone special in your life.
At Nest Estate Planning, we’ve found that these conversations, full of laughter, tears, and wisdom (but mostly laughter), capture the essence of family legacies in ways that no legal document alone ever could. That's why we’re sharing some of our Nest Family Legacy Interview questions—the same ones we use with our clients during our final meetings. These questions are designed to help you gather memories, values, and stories that reflect who your loved ones are and the lives they've led.
1. What were the names of your parents and grandparents? Do you know where they came from? Did they pass on strong cultural traditions to you?
2. Where did you grow up? Were you a small town or big city child? What are some of your favorite childhood memories?
3. What was your family like when you were growing up? How many children were in your family? Were you the oldest, youngest, middle child?
4. What do you think are the most important values you learned from your parents and grandparents?
5. Tell me a little about your children. What are their names? If you had to pick one word to describe each of them, what would it be? Why?
6. What do you see as each child’s greatest strength or gift? What has been your proudest moment with each child?
7. Your values and lessons in life are as important a part of your family heritage as monetary assets. What are the most important non-material assets you want to pass on to your children?
8. Which values and principles do you think will help your children live happy and fulfilling lives?
9. What guiding principles to you live by? Why do you consider them to be important?
10. Do you have family traditions or special activities that you would like to ensure that your children carry on?
11. How do you want your grandchildren to remember you? If there was one thing you could tell your grandchildren on their 21st birthday, what would it be?
12. How did you meet your spouse? What character or personality traits first drew you to each other?
13. What do you think are the most important things to consider when choosing a life mate?
14. What do you think is most important in developing and maintaining a loving relationship or a strong marriage?
15. Of all the things you’ve done or accomplished in your life, what has given you the deepest sense of fulfillment?
16. Do you have a list of things you’ve always wanted to do or accomplish in your lifetime? If so, what are the top 5 things you would like to do or accomplish before you die?
17. If you knew you had 3 months left to live but had no physical or mental limitations during that time, what would you do with the time you had left?
Try using the voice recorder on your phone and let younger family members, especially kids around age 7 or older, take the lead. Watching the grandkids “interview” their grandparents—maybe even dressed up as reporters with a “microphone”—adds a playful touch and helps create a memory in itself. And don’t forget to store the recorded interview and share it with family members!
This holiday season, take a little time to record a legacy interview with someone you hold dear. You'll be thankful you did—and so will generations to come.
Happy holidays from Nest Estate Planning!
Kommentarer