When most people hear “legacy planning,” they picture billionaire families with teams of lawyers dividing up vast estates. This misconception keeps millions of middle-class families from taking steps that could profoundly impact their loved ones’ futures. The reality is that legacy planning matters most for those without unlimited resources—because when assets are limited, ensuring they reach the right people in the right way becomes even more critical. A family with $500,000 in assets can be devastated by probate costs, family disputes, or poor timing of distributions just as easily as a family with $50 million.

Legacy planning encompasses far more than simply deciding who gets what when you die. It’s about articulating your values, protecting vulnerable family members, minimizing taxes and legal fees, and ensuring your wishes are honored even if you become incapacitated before death. It includes choosing who will make medical decisions on your behalf, who will manage your finances if you cannot, and how your minor children will be raised if the unthinkable happens. These decisions matter whether your estate is worth $100,000 or $100 million.

Perhaps most importantly, legacy planning is about the intangible inheritance you leave behind—the values, stories, and wisdom that define your family’s identity. Financial assets can be spent, but the lessons you pass down about hard work, integrity, generosity, and resilience can shape generations. As we explore legacy planning throughout this series, we’ll cover both the legal structures and the human elements that create lasting impact. Your legacy isn’t determined by your net worth; it’s determined by your intentionality.