Presentation on Bahá’í Wills
Reasons to write a Will
Spiritual contents of Will
Other ways of leaving property
Bahá’í Burial Instructions
What to bring to your lawyer
Top ten reasons to have a Will
10. Keeps unity in the family
9. You can specify recipients of items
of spiritual or sentimental value
8. You can determine who will raise
your minor children
Top ten reasons to have a Will
7. Provide for Bahá'í burial
6. Control the flow of money to family
members
5. Leave property to the Bahá’í
Fund
Top ten reasons to have a Will
4. Complete payment of Huqúqu'lláh
3. Avoid estate taxes
2. Give property to loved
ones outside of your family
Top ten reasons to have a Will
THE NUMBER ONE REASON
TO HAVE A WILL:
1. Because Bahá'u'lláh said so
Top ten reasons to have a Will
10. Keeps unity in your family
With a Will, everybody knows what
your exact wishes are. You can
specify what lifetime gifts to children
are “water under the bridge” and
which ones are advances on their
share of your estate.
Top ten reasons to have a Will
9. You can specify recipients of items
of spiritual or sentimental value
Leave items of art or jewelry to your
children or grandchildren, give your
Bahá’í ring and prayerbook, give
your books to Bahá’í institutions,
leave relics to the Archives.
Top ten reasons to have a Will
8. You can determine who will raise
your minor children
In New Mexico, Guardianship of your minor
children can only be definitely established in
your will, not in a letter, or power of attorney,
or any other document. You can appoint a
family member or a friend.
Top ten reasons to have a Will
7. Provide for Bahá'í burial & funeral
Top ten reasons to have a Will
7. Provide for Bahá'í burial & funeral
If you don’t specify Bahá’í burial, you might
get a ceremony of another religion, your body
might get cremated or your body moved.
Put burial instructions (1) in your will,
(2) in a burial instruction memorandum, and
(3) in your Health Care Power of Attorney.
Top ten reasons to have a Will
6. Control the flow of money to family
members
This requires a trust in addition to a will,
specifying funds to be paid each month or
each year. This is particularly necessary for
minor children, children in school, children
with special needs, children who are not
good at handling money. Without a will and
trust they get all of the money at age 18.
Top ten reasons to have a Will
5. To leave property to the Bahá’í Funds
Top ten reasons to have a Will
5. To leave property to the Bahá’í Funds
Specify a dollar amount (“$10,000 to the
Bahá'í National Fund”) or a percentage (“10%
of my estate to the National Spiritual
Assembly”) or give property through a
charitable trust for tax advantages. Advisable
to have your lawyer contact the National
Spiritual Assembly’s Office of Planned Giving.
Top ten reasons to have a Will
4. Complete payment of Huqúqu'lláh
Top ten reasons to have a Will
4. Complete payment of Huqúqu'lláh
It may be advisable to specify a dollar amount;
or direct your executor to obtain the amount
from your updated Right of God worksheet; or
specify a bank account, whatever amount is in
it at your death -- just continually adjust the
amount in that account when you re-calculate
Huqúqu’lláh each year; or use life insurance.
Top ten reasons to have a Will
3. Avoid estate taxes
If your property totals more than a million dollars
including life insurance, the value of your home,
retirement funds, everything – your estate may be
subject to estate tax. A proper estate plan will
reduce and may entirely eliminate estate tax, so
that instead your estate will go entirely to your
family and to the Bahá'í Institutions.
Top ten reasons to have a Will
2. Ability to leave property to loved
ones outside of your immediate family
If you want to leave property to your parents,
siblings or friends, you need to make
provision for it. The court and your Personal
Representative can’t read your mind – only
your Will.
Top ten reasons to have a Will
1. Because Bahá'u'lláh said so
Unto everyone hath been enjoined the writing of a
will. The testator should head this document with
the adornment of the Most Great Name, bear
witness therein unto the oneness of God in the
Dayspring of His Revelation, and make mention,
as he may wish, of that which is praiseworthy, so
that it may be a testimony for him in the kingdoms
of Revelation and Creation and a treasure with his
Lord, the Supreme Protector, the Faithful.”
(Paragraph 109, The Most Holy Book)
Ways to leave property after your death
Will and Testament
Living Trust
Beneficiary designation on Life
Insurance, Retirement Account, or
Pension
Ways to leave property after your death
“POD” Payable on Death
designation on Bank Account, CD, etc.
“TOD” Transfer on Death
designation on Brokerage Account
Ways to leave property after your death
Joint Tenancy with Rights of Survivorship
(Be careful!)
Charitable Trust
Suggestions for Burial
Instructions Memorandum
Wash and wrap the body as specified in the Aqdas
Body not to be embalmed unless required by law
Don’t move or bury the body more than one hour’s journey
from the place of death
Approval of donation of specified body organs (your driver’s
license is the best place to specify this)
No cremation
Select gravestone quote and symbol
Direct a Bahá'í funeral and graveside service
Burial with feet pointed towards `Akká
Suggestion: Put provision in Health Care Power of Attorney
that your agent shall handle disposition of your body
What to bring to your lawyer
Greatest Name
Spiritual Will
Full legal names, addresses, phone
numbers, social security numbers of
you, your spouse, your children, your
health care agent, your executor, your
alternate agent and executor, and your
minor children’s legal guardian
Identify children with special needs
What to bring to your lawyer
List of all of your assets, and their value: Residence,
including deed, mortgage, mortgage company, contract
number, address, and phone; purchase price; and fair
market value; bank accounts and CD’s: Institutions,
addresses, phone numbers, account numbers,
amounts; beneficiaries; how accounts are held
(individually, joint tenancy, POD); Brokerage accounts,
IRA’s, Money Market accounts, stocks, bonds, etc.:
Name of institution, transfer agent, address, phone
number, account number, value, beneficiary.
What to bring to your lawyer
Insurance policies, company, premium,
death benefit, beneficiary; change of
beneficiary form.
Verify how all accounts are held, and who
is the beneficiary of each
List of individual items you want to leave
to others, and their names and
addresses, and alternate recipients
How you want your estate distributed
What to bring to your lawyer
Amount you want to give to the Bahá'í
Fund
Payment of unpaid Huqúqu’lláh including
name and address of Trustees (from
The American Bahá’í)