Leaving a Legacy: What Will Yours Be?

11.18.2025 | Category: Health & Aging

Estimated read time: ~9 minutes

Summary: Leaving a legacy is about sharing memories, values and life lessons with future generations. Learn simple legacy planning ideas that will help to preserve your family’s story.

“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” – Pericles

Most of us want to be remembered, not just for what we owned, but for what we stood for. That’s what leaving a legacy is all about. Leaving a legacy goes beyond wealth and heirlooms. It’s about the stories you share, the principles you uphold and the memories you pass on to those you love most.

Today, an increasing number of families are beginning to see legacy planning as an act of love. According to an AARP survey, 85% of adults over 50 believe grandparents play a key role in passing down family values and life lessons¹. This highlights the growing importance of legacy planning, as it allows families to preserve their unique histories and the wisdom that shapes future generations.

From capturing family stories and crafting a legacy journal to helping to alleviate end-of-life financial stress, the legacy you create influences how your loved ones will remember you.

Why legacy matters: Telling your story for future generations

A legacy is the lasting impact of your life on the people you care about most. It can be the stories you share, the values you model or the memories you preserve. A legacy is how your life continues to influence others even after you’re gone.

Leaving a legacy touches emotional, personal and financial aspects of life. Emotionally, it allows your loved ones to feel connected to your experiences and lessons. Personally, it’s an opportunity to share your values, passions and life story in a way that matters to you. Financially, leaving a meaningful legacy starts with thoughtful planning.

Simple steps you can take now will help ease any financial burden on your loved ones and ensure your wishes are honored after you’re gone. Moreover, integrating asset management into your legacy strategy helps safeguard your assets and ensures they are thoughtfully transferred to those you leave behind.

How to leave a legacy

Everyone deserves to leave their own unique legacy, explains Catherine Newman, MSN, a hospice volunteer, end-of-life doula and bereavement counselor based in Wyckoff, N.J. Newman helps clients determine what their legacy can be and to whom they want to leave it.

“It really depends on the person and their life,” Newman says. “Do they have a family? Who was their family? What was their contribution to the country, state or town? What was important to them?”

Newman often begins by getting people to tell stories about their lives. One client with ALS was a nurse and never married, but was close to two nieces. “What we came up with was a book telling about her life with her large family, through her childhood, with pictures, especially of her nieces,” Newman says. “She really wanted to leave it to them.”

Another client was a soccer player and coach who left a soccer ball signed by all of her players to her family as her living legacy. Another client loved to cook. “We had a basket in her hospice room and copies of her recipes,” says Newman. “We asked people to share on the back of the recipe card how good that recipe was, or something they remembered about it. Just little things.” When the client died, the basket was full of recipes and stories — her perfect legacy.

Financial legacies remain an important consideration for many. Many individuals consider the financial well-being of their families as one of the most important factors in their lives.

Preserve memories through stories, videos or art

A true legacy is about preserving the moments and wisdom that shape your life and impact others. A great way to achieve this is by creatively preserving the stories of your life.

Here are practical ideas to help you get started:

Photo albums and scrapbooks: Collect family photos and add notes about who’s in them and the memories they represent.
Legacy journals: Writing down your experiences, lessons learned and reflections gives your loved ones a meaningful record of your life. You can even create a legacy journal to organize your stories and insights.
Recipe collections: Share the recipe of your favorite dishes along with the stories behind them. Personal notes from family members can make these recipes even more special.
Audio and video recordings: Record stories, messages or family traditions. Hearing your voice or seeing your expressions helps bring your memories to life.
Art and creative projects: Paintings, craft or other handmade items can carry a personal touch that resonates for generations.

Starting to preserve your memories now gives you time to organize them thoughtfully and with care.

Start a legacy project early: Organize your memories

The earlier you begin, the more meaningful and complete your legacy can be. Starting early gives you time to reflect, organize and add personal touches. The process of organizing what is important to you can help with stress management for seniors.

People in their 50s and 60s often find this an ideal time to start thinking about this process, as careers and family responsibilities start to stabilize.

Here are some practical steps to get started:

Gather photos and mementos: Collect pictures, awards, letters and other keepsakes that capture important moments in your life.
Create notes and reflections: Write down your memories, lessons learned and life stories. Even short notes or anecdotes can leave a legacy.
Organize by theme or timeline: Sort your materials chronologically or by topic—family, career, hobbies and travel—to make them easy for future generations to follow.
Use tools or apps: Digital tools can help store and organize your memories securely while allowing you to share them with loved ones.

By starting early, you ensure a more thorough legacy and give yourself time to experiment with different ways to capture your story. Learning how to leave a legacy thoughtfully means taking small, deliberate steps today that resonate for generations.

Capture what matters: Outline key life moments

Capturing the moments that define your life is one of the most meaningful ways to leave a legacy. A helpful prompt to get started is: “If I had one hour to tell my story, what would I share?” Answering this question can help you identify the memories and lessons that matter most to you.

When structuring your stories, consider covering:

Childhood memories: The experiences and people from your childhood play a significant role in shaping who you are today.
Major milestones: These include career achievements, family events, travel or other significant life moments.
Life lessons and values: These are insights you want future generations to carry forward.

Practical methods for capturing your stories include:

Journaling apps: Easily record thoughts, memories or life lessons digitally.
Hiring a writer or life story coach: If you want some help, professionals can help turn your stories into well-organized books or keepsakes.
Legacy books or albums: Combine photos, letters and narratives into a physical or digital keepsake for family members.

These legacy planning ideas allow you to offer a thoughtful, tangible gift for those you leave behind. If the process feels overwhelming, consider seeking professional help or utilizing tools to ensure that your memories and lessons are preserved for generations.

Reduce burden: Share end-of-life and funeral wishes

Planning ahead is an act of care for the people you love. After the death of a loved one, certain decisions don’t need to be made immediately. By documenting your end-of-life and funeral wishes in advance, you help your family avoid unnecessary confusion and stress during an emotionally challenging period.

By sharing your preferences clearly, you provide your loved ones with guidance while ensuring that your values and priorities are respected. This can include funeral arrangements, preferences for the memorial service and instructions for handling personal mementos or important documents.

Financial planning also plays a key role. Considering life insurance and burial insurance to potentially help cover costs can help minimize the financial burden on your family members.

Thoughtful planning allows you to leave a legacy that is both emotional and financial, helping protect your loved ones while preserving your story and values for future generations.

Make your legacy one that lasts

Leaving a legacy is about the stories you share, the values you live by and the memories you pass on to the people who matter most. By capturing your experiences and planning ahead, you create a meaningful gift that your loved ones will carry for generations.

Every photo, story, recipe or entry in a legacy journal becomes a bridge between your life and theirs. When combined with thoughtful financial planning, you can ensure that your family feels supported and inspired by your life.

Mutual of Omaha offers tools and guidance to help you plan both the emotional and financial parts of your legacy, giving you some peace of mind today and tomorrow.

Take action now, contact Mutual of Omaha and start leaving a legacy that truly reflects your life and values.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What does “leaving a legacy” really mean?

Leaving a legacy is about the lasting impact of your life. On a personal level, it’s the stories, values, and memories you share with loved ones. Financially, it can include planning for end-of-life costs or providing for family members to reduce stress. Together, these elements ensure your influence is felt long after you’re gone.

Why should I start preserving memories now?

Starting early gives you time to reflect, organize and capture your story thoroughly. It helps reduce stress, allows for creativity and ensures that your memories, lessons and values are accurately preserved for future generations. People in their 50s and 60s often find this the ideal time to begin to focus on meaningful legacy planning.

What are easy ways to document life stories or lessons?

Documenting your life stories can be simple and meaningful. You can write reflections and personal anecdotes in a journal or legacy journal. Alternatively, voice memos or audio recordings preserve your voice and stories, while videos are a great way to capture life lessons and family traditions for future generations.

Disclosures:
Registered Representatives offer securities through Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisor Representatives offer advisory services through Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc. Mutual of Omaha Advisors is a division of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company.

All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, and there can be no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful.

Mutual of Omaha and its representatives do not provide tax and/or legal advice, and the information provided herein is general in nature and should not be considered tax and/or legal advice.

Not all Mutual of Omaha agents are registered representatives or financial advisors.

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