By: Melissa Hampton, CFP® – Founder & Wealth Advisor at Hampton Wealth Management

Picture your family years from now—your children confident in their own financial path, your spouse supported and prepared for what comes next, your grandchildren benefitting from opportunities you helped create. Imagine your wealth continuing to make an impact long after you’re gone—not just in dollars, but in purpose, clarity, and intention.

That is the vision behind a thoughtful legacy.

For families with $1M+ in investable assets, legacy is not simply about transferring money. It’s about structuring your wealth in a way that protects the people you love, honors your values, and reflects the story you want your family to continue telling.

Why Legacy Planning Matters

A well-designed legacy plan does more than avoid problems—it creates direction.

Without clear planning, families often face:

-Confusion about “what mom and dad wanted”

-Delays in accessing assets

-Probate expenses or tax complications

-Outdated documents that no longer reflect current wishes

-Assets passing unintentionally to the wrong individuals or in the wrong way

But with intention and structure, legacy planning becomes one of the most meaningful gifts you can leave behind.

What a Purposeful Legacy Plan Should Address

1. Structuring How Your Assets Transfer

The way your wealth transfers—by title, beneficiary designation, will, or trust—directly impacts timing, taxes, access, and privacy.

Your Wealth P.L.A.N.™ should clarify:

-Which assets pass outside of probate

-Which should be held in trust

-Which require updated beneficiary designations

-What your spouse will have immediate access to

A clear structure strives to prevent unnecessary complexity for your family.

2. Ensuring Someone You Trust Can Make Decisions for You

Your legacy also includes what happens during your lifetime.

A thoughtful plan should identify:

-Healthcare directives

-Financial powers of attorney

-Who can act quickly if you’re unable

These decisions protect your family from conflict and give them clarity during challenging moments.

3. Providing Clarity for Your Spouse

For many couples, the surviving spouse becomes the primary decision-maker at a time when financial clarity matters most.

Your plan should outline:

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-Income sources after one spouse passes

-How the household’s financial picture changes

-Which assets are available immediately vs. long-term

Preparedness creates clarity—and clarity creates confidence.

4. Gifting With Purpose—Now and Later

High-net-worth families often want their wealth to create impact both during their lifetime and beyond.

That may include:

• Local charitable organizations

Community foundations, local nonprofits, educational programs, or faith-based organizations.

• National philanthropic opportunities

Legacy gifting strategies, donor-advised funds, scholarships, or long-term charitable plans.

• Giving to children and grandchildren

Education support, structured trusts, financial starter funds, or guided distributions that reflect your values.

Purposeful gifting is not just “giving money away”—it’s aligning your wealth with what matters most to you.

5. Ensuring Your Documents Match Your Intentions

A legacy plan is only as strong as its accuracy.

Your Wealth P.L.A.N.™ should evaluate:

-The alignment between your financial accounts and your estate documents

-Whether your trust is properly funded

-If your will reflects your current wishes and family structure

-Whether your beneficiaries are up to date and correctly listed

-If your plan is structured to minimize delays and expenses

This is where many families unintentionally fall short—not in intention, but in coordination.

A Legacy of Purpose Begins With Clarity

A meaningful legacy is built through:

✔ Direction
✔ Structure
✔ Clarity
✔ Intention

Your family deserves confidence—not confusion.
Your wealth deserves strategy—not assumptions.
Your legacy deserves purpose—not chance.

This is the work we do through The Wealth Plan™.

Your Next Step

If you have $1M+ in investable assets and want to bring intention, clarity, and purpose to your legacy—now and in the future—let’s build a plan that reflects the values you’ve lived by.

Schedule an introductory call at HamptonWM.com to explore how your legacy goals fit within The Wealth P.L.A.N.™.

LPL Financial Representatives offer access to Trust Services through The Private Trust Company N.A., an affiliate of LPL Financial.​