What Is a Legacy Video and Why Do I Need One?

Law firms have provided estate planning documents for many years that efficiently passed along assets and property to beneficiaries in a predictable and legal way. But when a loved one has lived a long and full life, and the family begins to understand that their death is the end of something amazing and memorable, no legal document can possibly suffice to honor that person. All the lessons learned, all the love shared, all the times a parent was proud of the child they reared, and even prouder of what that child created in their own life: there is a beautiful history here that cannot be ignored and should be celebrated.

Law firms have increasingly become aware that the estate is not the entire point of their relationship with clients nearing the end their lives. They have come to know the family. They have heard stories of victories, of difficulties overcome, of narratives that have, in many cases, persisted for decades.

Our firm has invested in a service for our clients that helps to capture the lives of our clients in a way that can be shared with the entire family. It is called a Legacy Video. We use modern video technology to capture the family’s story. The Legacy Video, when complete, offers the family an elegy, a deeply poetic reflection of the whole person and their whole story. 

Our storytellers will work with the featured person to find the values, philosophies, and reflections of their faith and how it worked in their lives. We can interview family members to explore memories of meaningful conversations. Too often, we just assume that all memories are shared equally by all family members. In our experience, it is vital to get as much of the story as possible from all participants. What we remember and how we remember it is the basis of so many lives and so much love. A Legacy Video can help you capture and preserve the essence of who you are so your family members can revive the words and kindnesses they experienced when you were alive.

Possible Segments of Your Legacy Video

There are a variety of elements you may wish to include in your video. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Heirlooms. Your video will allow you to share the story of some of the heirlooms you love, and pass along in your will so that your family knows their significance in your life.

A special story. We will interview you about one especially meaningful story that helped to create your family, as well as philosophies you have lived by.

Significant other interview. Each member of a couple will be interviewed to make sure all the big moments are remembered:  falling in love, having children, persevering through difficult times. Then the couple will be interviewed together to reflect on what marriage and friendship are really all about.

Legacy collection. Using any old photos or videos and intercutting them with moments from the interviews will be a lifetime-spanning monument to one person’s life.

Please contact the Law Offices of Stephanie Hon so we can discuss your Legacy Video and how we can get started.