Smart Tips for Estate Planning: Write Your Will Like George Washington Did

Estate Planning for those you love can dramatically alter the course of your family for generations. In his last will and testament of 1799, George Washington, laid out a clear vision for his legacy. He bequeathed the "use, profit, and benefit" of his whole estate to his "dearly beloved wife Martha Washington." He also forgave the debts of many of his family members, financed the establishment of a school for orphans, earmarked stock for what is now Washington and Lee University and made arrangements to care for others dear to him.

Vowing, "I have set my hand and Seal," Washington used his will to provide for the people he loved, settle unfinished business and assist the less fortunate. More than 200 years later, Washington's estate plan retains surprising currency. In the modern era, family, friends and philanthropy remain the dominant pillars of our own last intentions.