Estate Planning and Still Young

Roy Leggitt

I'm a native Californian who was lucky enough to have parents who moved to a small town in the Sierra when I was 6 years old. That was 1969. I developed a passion for the mountains, wilderness, conservation and trails.

Although I was aware of the Pacific Crest Trail and the PCTA, it didn't really occur to me the importance of PCTA until just a few years ago. Since then, I have become a PCT enthusiast and supporter and have been section hiking bits of the PCT. I want the PCT to continue to have protections, advocacy from the PCTA and ongoing maintenance and management during my lifetime and in perpetuity.

Estate planning had eluded me, and once in a while I'd think of excuses for not having a will or any sort of estate plans. Hey, I'm not "old". I'm active and healthy. I don't have time for that right now...

In 2016 I made plans to travel to Papua New Guinea for a birdwatching trip with my wife. She had been making the same sort of excuses about estate planning as I had, but she gets credit for motivating us to set up our wills and trusts before we took off on this trip. I learned that planning gifts to nonprofit organizations keeps a lot of money out of the tax system and puts it into the hands of the organizations I care about. Most importantly, having made my plans, I know that the PCTA will receive support after I'm gone, and this will support the organization, the PCT, and the viewsheds, habitat and land acquisitions that are so meaningful to me.

Estate planning is not at all like a trip to the undertaker! Yes, I thought like that, but after putting together a will and trust I feel that I've finally taken control—and most importantly, I've extended that control to beyond my own lifespan. That is a real privilege. Don't miss out, do your estate planning, and make sure to include PCTA in your plans.

Information contained herein was accurate at the time of posting. The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results. California residents: Annuities are subject to regulation by the State of California. Payments under such agreements, however, are not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or the California Life and Health Insurance Guarantee Association. Oklahoma residents: A charitable gift annuity is not regulated by the Oklahoma Insurance Department and is not protected by a guaranty association affiliated with the Oklahoma Insurance Department. South Dakota residents: Charitable gift annuities are not regulated by and are not under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Division of Insurance.