It’s common for many people to focus on financial assets when estate planning, but leaving a legacy of more than money is one of the most meaningful things you can do for your family. Writing a letter to your loved one can provide wisdom, guidance, and an emotional connection that wealth cannot. 

Learn why words matter more than wealth, how to write a meaningful letter, and why you should use Trustworthy for all your estate planning purposes, like preserving these personal letters for future generations with the legacy access feature.  

Key Takeaways 

• Legacy letters can provide comfort and closure, connect with your loved ones, clarify your intentions, and preserve your legacy.

• Your letter can include personal stories and life lessons, family values and beliefs, encouragement, apologies, and expressions of love.

• Be authentic, keep your letter simple, and make it personal for each recipient. 

Why Words Matter More Than Wealth

Financial inheritance can offer security and help your family handle challenges and reach their goals. But your words can be just as powerful—shaping values, character, and future decisions.

A legacy letter lets you share your values, stories, and support with loved ones. While money may fade, emotional and moral guidance can impact generations.

Writing a letter can also be a great source of comfort for your grieving family members. John R. Merlino Jr. from Merlino & Gonzalez says:

 “Losing a loved one can be an emotionally challenging experience for those left behind. Your words of encouragement, affection, and wisdom can provide them with the strength and reassurance they need to navigate life’s challenges without you.” 

Your legacy letter is a powerful way to ensure your legacy is included in your estate plan while reflecting your hopes of what you hope to leave behind. Think about some historical and well-known letters written in history that still have a lasting impact today. 

Martin Luther King’s 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” still inspires the fight for justice. He wrote it in response to criticism of his nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Alabama.

Albert Einstein also left a lasting message in a letter to his daughter Lieserl, sharing that love is the true force behind the universe—a touching reminder of his values.

Like these powerful examples, your words can leave a lasting legacy, offering love, guidance, and meaning that money can’t provide.

Leticia Mooney, a leading writing coach, puts it perfectly:

“Letters are words from the soul, connecting one heart to another. Wealth, in comparison, is empty; money enables a person to buy things, but it doesn’t warm the soul in a way that a letter can. Wealth can’t be pulled out of a drawer time after time, read and re-read, or cause tears (happy or sad) in the same way every time.”

What to Include in Letters to Loved Ones

There are no hard and fast rules dictating what you should include in your letters to your loved one. To decide what to include, you need first to consider the letter's purpose. 

This could include: 

• Preserving your legacy 

• Connecting with loved ones 

• Clarifying intentions 

• Providing comfort and closure 

Some enduring and meaningful elements you may want to include in your letter are: 

Personal Stories and Life Lessons 

This is a time to reflect on and share your personal stories and life lessons. These could include significant milestones like marriage and birth that had a lasting impact on your life or lessons you want to pass on to future generations.

Your loved ones can learn from your experiences and carry your wisdom to future generations.  

Family Values and Traditions 

Share the family values and traditions that you value the most. This could include religious beliefs that shaped your family values, like attending church on a Sunday or celebrating certain religious holidays.  

Values like the importance of kindness or hard work can be passed down the family line.  

Encouragement and Support 

Remember, your letter can be a source of great comfort and encouragement. It can express your pride and love for family members and offer reassurance and motivation that they can navigate life with you gone. 

You can highlight the strengths and passions of your loved ones that you admire and encourage them to continue pursuing those passions and dreams. 

Apologies and Reconciliation 

This letter is an opportunity to reflect on any regrets in your life and offer apologies to the relevant people. It will hopefully bring the recipient some peace during an already stressful period. 

This section of the letter is a time to encourage healing, honesty, and closure.  

Expressions of Love and Gratitude  

Your legacy letter is a love letter to your loved ones, an opportunity to tell them how much they mean to you. You can also emphasize the importance of relationships over material possessions and money. 

How to Write a Meaningful Letter

To start, you need to first choose who you are writing to and think about the letter's purpose.  

Be Authentic

Write in your own voice and let your authenticity shine because this is how future generations will get to know you. Instead of focusing on what’s right or wrong, focus on being genuine. Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts, emotions, and anecdotes. Share details and use vivid language.

As Leticia Mooney notes:

“A person’s voice is unique and evokes so much about them, to the point where you can ‘hear’ them in your own inner ear.”

Address Specific People

Your legacy letter is something personal, and there’s no one-size-fits approach. Think about it. Your letter to a child might read very differently to a spouse or close friend. So, you should consider tailoring each letter to its recipient to make them feel appreciated. 

Make It Personal & Specific

Tailor your letter to each recipient and make it personal by including shared memories you’re fond of, inside jokes, and specific advice or encouragement you know they will appreciate and benefit from.

Some people will also include personal artifacts like mementos and photos in their letters.   

Keep It Simple & Heartfelt

There’s no need to write in complicated language. Just keep it simple. Your letter does not need to be long or elaborate as long as it is sincere and authentic. 

Consider Handwritten vs. Digital

How you format the letter is also important. Handwritten letters require more effort but convey a personal touch and sentimentality. However, they can fade, become lost, or be damaged over time. 

Digital letters are much easier to store and access for longevity. Trustworthy offers a secure way to store letters with the legacy access settings, regardless of which format you use. To store handwritten letters, scan them using the built-in scanner on the mobile app and choose where you want them stored. The legacy access feature allows you to nominate an individual with access to your documents and the legacy letter on your account after you pass away. 

Preserving & Sharing Your Letters

To keep your letter safe for future generations, choose a secure storage method. For physical copies, use a temperature-controlled, water-resistant, and fireproof box to protect against damage.

Digital storage is more secure and accessible. Platforms like Trustworthy use bank-level security—AES 256-bit encryption, multi-factor and biometric authentication, security keys, threat detection, redaction, and tokenization—to protect your documents.

Trustworthy’s Family Operating System® also includes AI-powered Autopilot with smart filing tools like suggested filenames, categories, and document insights.

Timing matters when sharing your letter—some prefer milestones like weddings, while others share it when it's written. With Trustworthy, you can share securely with trusted collaborators using custom access permissions or with others like estate attorneys through expiring SecureLinks™. 

If you want to share your letter after your death, you can use the legacy access setting on Trustworthy.   

Getting Started: Overcoming Common Barriers

Getting started is possibly the hardest part of writing your letter, but we’ve got some ways to overcome some common barriers.

“I don’t know what to write.”

Get your creative juices running by answering some prompts to spark inspiration: 

• What were some of your most valuable lessons learned? 

• What is the expected outcome of the letter?

• How do you want to be remembered? 

• What are your hopes for your loved ones? 

• Do you have any traditions or memories you want to share? 

• What is something you wish you had known when you were younger? 

“I’m not a good writer.”

Your letter doesn’t have to be a literary masterpiece. Focus on writing an authentic letter that is genuine, with simple language, clear ideas, and vivid imagery. 

“I’ll do it later.”

Don’t put off writing your letter because you never know what the future holds, and there is no perfect time to start. So, why not start now?  

Using AI to help write and edit 

Still don’t know where to start or need some inspiration? Consider using AI platforms like ChatGPT to help you create a template to write the letter. Grammarly is great for checking your grammar and refining your tone.  

Other AI platforms you can use include: 

• Google Gemini

• Microsoft Copilot

• Claude

Remember, AI doesn’t have the human touch, so you shouldn’t entirely rely on it to write your letter. Instead, you should use it as a guideline or template to get started. 

Trustworthy for Estate Planning 

A financial legacy may provide comfort and help families navigate life, but it does little in the way of offering meaning, which words of love and wisdom can provide. Writing letters for your loved ones ensures your voice, values, and emotions continue to live on. 

Make sure your loved ones receive your letters after you’ve passed on by using the legacy access feature on Trustworthy. Try out the features on Trustworthy for free today, and stay as long as you like. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

How do I decide who to write letters to?

Consider the people who mean the most to you who have played a significant role in your life, and who will appreciate your words and wisdom. To pass down your legacy, write letters addressed to future generations. 

Can I write letters for special occasions, like weddings or graduations, even if I won’t be there to celebrate?

Yes. Many people will write letters for future milestones like marriage and graduation, as this can be a very meaningful gift for the recipient. 

Should I include practical advice in my letters, like financial tips or life planning guidance?

While legacy letters are used to share your values and express emotions, including practical life planning and financial advice can be meaningful.