American Heart Association
National Estate Planning Awareness Week
National Estate Planning Awareness Week is October 21-27, 2024. It’s an annual reminder that everyone – no matter your age or your assets – should have a plan for the future. A solid plan allows you to protect your assets, provide for your loved ones, and create a legacy. Whether you’re just beginning to think about your estate or looking to update an existing plan, this week is the perfect time to focus on mapping out your future.
What is an estate plan?
An estate plan is a vital component of financial wellness. It’ a collection of legal documents that specifies how your assets, healthcare decisions, and financial affairs will be handled after your lifetime or if you become incapacitated. Common components of an estate plan include:
- Will or Trust – outlines how your assets will be managed and distributed after your lifetime.
- Powers of Attorney – authorizes a trusted person to manage your financial or healthcare decisions if you’re unable to.
- Healthcare Directives – documents that express your wishes for medical care in the event that you cannot communicate them yourself.
- and more!
Having an estate plan is critical for ensuring that your personal and financial goals are met, avoiding lengthy legal processes, reducing tax liabilities, and providing clear guidance for your loved ones.
National Estate Planning Awareness Week Resources
Planning Guides
Let us send you complimentary guides designed to help you plan your legacy.
Legacy of the Heart: Your Will and Estate Planning Workbook includes 15 worksheets to help you organize your intentions and your assets. (Available in English and Spanish.)
Meet the Moment: A Woman’s Guide to Planning a Secure Future is an interactive planning guide designed to help every woman design a prosperous future.
Gift Planning Solutions
Learn more about different ways you can create a legacy with your estate plan. Download free one-page guides to help you make your plans.
- Charitable Bequest (English/Spanish)
- Charitable Trusts (English/Spanish)
- Beneficiary Designations (English/Spanish)
Make Your Bold Legacy Today
Ready to secure your future today? Through our online platform powered by FreeWill, you can create a free, valid will or trust in as little as 20 minutes.
You can also complete beneficiary forms for your accounts that are distributed outside of a will. With the help of our online tool, you can plan all of your beneficiaries in one place at no cost.
Contact your local Charitable Estate Planning Representative to discuss your many giving options.
Find Your Local Contact
Bold Legacies
National Estate Planning Awareness Week isn’t just about planning for yourself but also envisioning a brighter future for everyone. We’re celebrating our milestone of a century of lifesaving impact all year long, and during National Estate Planning Awareness week we invite you to secure a bold future where everyone, everywhere, can live a longer, healthier life. A gift through your estate plan to the American Heart Association will help us continue to advance our progress and help save more lives in our Second Century of impact. By planning now, you can ensure a bold life today and a healthier tomorrow for countless lives.
“I believe in the American Heart Association because of its science and how the organization is bettering people’s lives. With my family history of heart disease and stroke, I wanted to help find a way to cure it. This is my legacy and I want to inspire others.”
– Heidi Roth, Cor Vitae Society and Paul Dudley White Legacy Society member
“Each person in my family that has heart disease has a different form of heart disease - no two are alike,” Lindsay said. “Heart disease also caused my sister to have a stroke. While the AHA has led the way for many advances, there is still so much we don't know. I hope my gifts pave the way for future advancements.”
– Lindsay Brooks-Shriver, Paul Dudley White Legacy Society member