Your Legacy & Green Estate Planning: Eco-Friendly Options

As You’re Estate Planning, How Often Do You Think About Your Legacy?

Considering your legacy is an important part of estate planning

As we humans continue to become more eco-conscious — albeit slowly — and the concern for the health of the earth and for the effect our actions have on future generations continues to grow, many people have a desire to align the values that guide the way they live with the way they invest and with how they make their exit from this beautiful earth. They want their eco-friendly values to be part of the legacy they leave for their heirs.

As these ideas take root and expand, I work with more clients requesting estate plans that include eco-friendly options. I provide a brief overview of two popular options here. The first is Green Burial and the second is Socially Responsible Investing (SRI).

Green Burial

Green burial is an option that is rapidly growing in popularity. First, let me explain what it is. According to the Green Burial Council, a nonprofit business organization, to provide certification for qualifying providers. Green burial is “a way of caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact that aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health, and the restoration and/or preservation of habitat.”

https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/greenburialdefined.html

Unlike conventional-lawn cemeteries that require concrete or plastic vaults or liners, allow embalmed bodies, and allow exotic wood or metal caskets, natural burial grounds, cemeteries, and preserves all seek to bury without impediment. That means no embalming, no liners or vaults, and using biodegradable containers, whether caskets, shrouds or nothing at all. These cemeteries are operated by a variety of owners: municipal governments, religious groups, individuals, nonprofits, for-profits, and others.

Socially Responsible Investing

Now, can you imagine that it’s possible for your financial investments to create much more than a financial legacy? Imagine that your investments leave behind a world where future generations thrive, courtesy of your thoughtful estate planning. Socially Responsible Investing is no longer a distant dream. It is an investing philosophy where investors take companies environmental, social, and corporate governance factors (ESG) into account. And it is reshaping the landscape of estate planning and establishing socially responsible values for future generations.

Eco-Friendly Estate Planning

If you would like to align the guiding values you live by with how you make your exit while leaving a financial legacy that includes the well-being of the planet in your estate plan, give my office a call at (470) 235-7868.

Looking to find an experienced estate lawyer in the Georgia area who is skilled in asset protection and estate plan preparation? Shannon Pawley is an attorney in Georgia with expertise in estate planning and asset protection. Shannon can provide assistance with creating an estate plan to include making a will and how to establish a trust properly. If you have questions about asset protection or questions about making an estate plan, reach out to Shannon and she will be glad to help answer all the estate planning questions you might have!

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My father and I recently used the estate, an asset protection, law, firm for new wheels, new, power of attorney’s, and a creation of a trust. Brooke and her entire team could not have been more helpful and more professional! We loved working with them, and they took everything seriously therefore I didn’t have to worry about a thing. I highly recommend everyone at the law firm.

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Great firm. Had answers to all our questions and explained everything clearly. Never felt rushed to make a decision Could not ask for a better experience. Every one we dealt with was professional and knowledgeable. We highly recommend this firm for estate planning.

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21:30 28 Jun 23

Shannon provided invaluable information regarding a family estate matter. Although her firm did not quite fit our immediate needs, the consultation was informative and extremely HELPFUL! Shannon clearly explained what our next steps should be and offered to assist if we had any questions along the way. Her expertise and willingness to help puts her in a league of her own!

Alice Guppy

02:01 23 Jan 23

Shannon and everyone at The Estate and Asset Protection Law Firm are professional, very knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with. They answered all our questions in great detail and the plan they developed for us is exactly what we need to protect our assets and estate as we age especially with my husband's health issues.

Lynn McKibbin-Moore

23:09 24 Feb 22

My husband has dementia. This firm has been patient, kind and professional while we went through a move from a house of 37 years in to a condo to be closer to my daughter and her husband. (Miami to Atlanta). There was also a wedding. All in 6 months.We now have a trust, power of attorney. Wills for my daughter and her husband and more. All at a fair price. I could not recommend higher.

Tammy Lee

22:03 29 Jan 22

Shannon Pawley and her team are exceptional at helping families navigate tough situations. We began working with her upon finding out my father had Stage 4 kidney cancer. His decline was more rapid than expected.Attorney Pawley and her entire team expedited paperwork that allowed me to focus on my father’s care, make decisions that suddenly needed to be made for him medically and financially, and has allowed me the ability to focus more on grieving and less on legal matters upon his passing.It is obvious she is knowledgeable about the best ways to navigate estates to protect the assets for the owners and their loved ones. It is just as obvious that she is passionate and has true heart for what her clients go through.We will be using her for own estate needs, and I recommend her expertise to everybody I can.This service is worth every penny we paid as it has saved us more money and time than I could imagine.

H Jessie Brewer

18:26 18 Nov 21

Attorney Shannon Pawley and paralegal Alexis McCoy are legal professionals that my wife and I highly recommend. Their grasp of the Georgia law pertaining to Medicaid assistance and the interworking's of the State department is exceptional. Additionally, their client-attorney relationship skills are excellent. We wouldn't hesitate to use this law firm again should the need arise.

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15:06 13 Nov 21

Shannon and her team are the best! They listened to my needs and provided the best advice. They are patient and professional as well as personable, they didn't make me feel like I was just another client. Highly recommend!