August is Make a Will Month, making it a good time to think about estate planning, caring for your family and whether charitable giving should also be part of your future plans. Charitable estate planning in Kirkland can help you support the people you love first while also creating a meaningful legacy for the community, causes and organizations that have mattered to you.
For most of us, that is the starting point of an estate plan: making sure the people we love are cared for.
August is Make-A-Will Month, which makes this a natural time to think about whether you have a will and whether it still reflects what matters most to you.
Maybe this is the year you create your first one. Maybe it is simply time to review the plan you already have. And if now is not the right time, that is okay too.
Whatever the timing is for you, we hope this article helps you think about the questions worth asking.
One of those questions may be:
After I have cared for the people I love, is there something I would also like to leave behind for the community I love?
Estate planning attorney Jessica Beck of Krueger Beck Kravitz PLLC says she starts by asking people a simple question:
“What do you want to see happen?”
You do not need to begin with legal terminology or complicated strategies. Start with the people, places and causes that matter to you.
Financial advisor Joel Petersen of Sound Legacy Financial Planning tells clients that their resources generally support four areas: their life and lifestyle, their family, their community and taxes.
Planning gives you the opportunity to decide intentionally what you want those resources to do.
A charitable gift does not have to come before your family. It can be structured around the plans you have already made for them.
Some people leave a specific amount to a cause they care about. Others choose a percentage of what remains or name a charitable organization as a beneficiary of an eligible account.
The right choice is personal.
There may also be financial or tax considerations worth discussing with your attorney, financial advisor or tax professional. As Beck says, “You kind of don’t know what you don’t know” until you begin those conversations.
Maybe Kirkland has been the place where you raised your family, built friendships, owned a business, volunteered or simply felt at home.
What part of that would you like to help continue?
Perhaps it is:
You may have a particular organization you want to support. Or you may care more about the purpose than the organization itself.
That can matter because an estate plan may not take effect for many years. Organizations can change, merge or close. Community needs change too.
Your values can remain.
As Kirkland Community Foundation Executive Director Carmin Dalziel describes it:
“Let us understand what you have given charitably in the community over the course of your lifetime, and then let us formulate a plan for how we’re going to continue that.”
The Kirkland Community Foundation can help you think about what you want your future gift to accomplish and how that intention can continue serving Kirkland over time.
Your estate plan is first about caring for the people you love.
After that, it can also be an opportunity to say something about the life you lived and the community that mattered to you.
You do not have to choose between family and community.
Care for your family first. Then, if it feels right, consider what piece of your love for Kirkland you would like to leave behind.
Make a Will Month is simply a reminder to begin that conversation. Whether you act this month, later this year or sometime in the future, we hope you feel more prepared to think about what you want your plan to accomplish.
If you include the Kirkland Community Foundation in your will, trust, beneficiary designation or other estate plan, we invite you to let us know and become part of our Kite Society.
And through the end of 2026, your future commitment can make an impact right away.
For every new legacy commitment made in 2026, a generous donor will contribute $1,000 to support the Kirkland Community Foundation’s work today.
You do not need to tell us the amount of your future gift. We simply want the opportunity to thank you, understand what matters to you and help make sure your charitable intentions are carried forward.
The Kirkland Community Foundation connects people, ideas and resources to strengthen Kirkland. We can help you explore charitable giving, legacy gifts, donor-advised funds and ways to support the local causes you care about. Learn more at KirklandCommunity.org or contact us directly. EIN: 46-4931717.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice. Please consult a qualified attorney, tax professional or financial advisor about your individual circumstances.
Founded in 2014, the Kirkland Community Foundation is a local community foundation supporting nonprofits across Kirkland and the Eastside. We connect donors, nonprofits, and community priorities through grants, partnerships, and local giving that strengthen our parks, people, and shared future. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 46‑4931717), we invest in thriving nonprofits, visible community impact, and trusted local leadership.
KCF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
EIN 46-4931717
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