Illustration by Stefano Vitale

Writing Your Ethical Will: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself By Lynn O’Shaughnessy, September & October 2004

Four-Legged Heirs (July & August 2004)

Talking With Your Parents About Estate Planning: 6 Tips for Breaking the Ice (AARP Bulletin)

More Americans Crafting Living Wills (AARP Bulletin)

Frequently Asked Questions: Wills (AARP.org)

Estate Planning Guide (AARP.org)

Back to Gift of a Lifetime

You've lived a full life; you have so many memorable experiences and so much valuable advice you'd like to leave behind. Trouble is, now that you are ready to write, none of it is coming to mind. To overcome writer's block, start by answering the following questions:

• What are the lessons that you've learned in life?
• What are you most proud of?
• What are your biggest regrets?
• What are your spiritual beliefs?
• What will you miss most when you are gone?
• Who is the most important person in your life and what have you learned from him or her?
• If you only had a year left to live, what would you do?