A lot can change in a few years. Your family may look different. Your finances may have changed. You may have moved. You may have welcomed children or grandchildren. You may see your future, your faith, and your generosity differently than you did before. That is why Make a Will Month charitable giving is not only about planning for someday. It is about paying attention to what matters now.

A will can help care for the people you love. It can also reflect your faith, your values, and the ministries or causes God has placed on your heart. For friends of City Union Mission, it can also be one way to help hope continue for men, women, and children in Kansas City for years to come.

August Is Make a Will Month

Make a Will Month is a reminder to create, review, or update your will.
For some people, that means finally starting. For others, it means pulling out a will they created years ago and asking, “Does this still fit my life?”

Maybe your will was created during a busy season. Maybe it was done during the pandemic. Maybe it was written before a major life change. Or maybe you have never created one at all. Wherever you are starting, August is a good time to take one step.

That step does not have to be dramatic. You do not have to solve every detail in one sitting. You can start by reviewing what you already have, talking with a trusted advisor, or requesting City Union Mission’s free bulletin, “Has Your Will Kept Up with Your Life?”

Why a Will is not a Once-and-Done Document

A will is not something you create once and forget forever. Life keeps moving, and plans need to keep up. Estate planning experts often recommend reviewing your will about every five years. Sometimes sooner, especially when something significant changes.

That matters because your will speaks for you. It names who you want to care for. It reflects what you want to protect. It can show what you valued and the kind of impact you wanted to continue making. If your life has changed, your will may need to change too.

A will written years ago may not reflect your current family situation, financial picture, charitable goals, or spiritual priorities. It may still be legally useful, but it may not fully say what you want it to say today. That is why reviewing your will is not just paperwork. 

It’s stewardship.

Life Changes That May Call for an Update

There are several reasons someone may need to update a will.

Some are obvious. Some are easy to miss.

You may want to review your will if you have experienced: 

• Change in marital status
• The birth or adoption of a child or grandchild
• A move to another state or country
• A major change in your finances
• Updates to state or federal estate tax laws
• A change in who you want to name as guardian, executor, or beneficiary
• A change in the ministries, churches, or causes you want to support

Sometimes the reason is even simpler. You changed your mind. Your plans should reflect your life now, not only the season you were in when you first wrote them.

How Legacy Giving Supports Long-Term Ministry

Including a gift to City Union Mission in your will or estate plan is one way to help the Mission continue serving neighbors in need.

A legacy gift can help provide meals, shelter, Christ-centered care, case management, recovery programs, family support, and meaningful next steps for men, women, and children facing homelessness, hunger, poverty, or crisis.

That kind of gift may not be seen right away.

But one day, it can become a meal for someone who is hungry, a safe bed for someone with nowhere else to go, a moment of prayer for someone who feels worn down, a program pathway for someone ready to rebuild, a place of care for a family trying to find stability again.

That is what legacy giving can do: it can keep serving. City Union Mission also offers several other ways to give, including gifts of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, charitable gift annuities, donor-advised funds, and estate gifts.

Not every option is right for every person. That is why it is important to talk with your family, attorney, tax professional, or financial advisor before making planned giving decisions.

Your generosity may go further than you thought.

First Steps to Consider This Month

You do not have to figure everything out today. Start small.

Here are a few good next steps:

Review your current Will — Ask whether it still reflects your family, faith, values, and charitable goals.
Think about what has changed — Family, finances, location, relationships, priorities, and ministry commitments can all affect your plan.
Talk with trusted people—this may include your spouse, family members, attorney, financial advisor, or tax professional.
Explore legacy giving – Learn how a gift in your will, trust, or estate plan could support City Union Mission’s long-term work.
Request the free bulletin – City Union Mission is offering “Has Your Will Kept Up with Your Life?”

You can also visit cityunionmission.legacywill.org to create a will that honors your faith and family.

Your Life Has Changed. Your Will Can Reflect That

Your life probably looks different from what it did five or six years ago. This is normal. The question is whether your will has kept up. This Make a Will Month, take time to review what matters most: your family, your faith, your values, and the hope you want to continue. A planned gift to City Union Mission can help your compassion continue to work for years to come. It can help provide care for neighbors you may never meet. And it can say something simple and lasting: Hope still lives here. 

Request the free bulletin, “Has Your Will Kept Up with Your Life?”