Planning What Matters Most: A Calvary Perspective on Family, Legacy, and Care

Summary

Planning for the future can feel overwhelming, but taking simple, thoughtful steps today can bring lasting comfort to the people you love.

Estate planning is more than paperwork – it’s a profound expression of self-care and care for others. What Matters Most: A Guide for Families, helps you organize essential details, record your wishes, and ensure your loved ones have the clarity and guidance they’ll need when it matters most.

What’s Included

• What estate planning really means
• Why thoughtful planning matters
• What’s inside What Matters Most: A Guide for Families?

Download the Guide

Planning with Care and Clarity

At Calvary, we know that conversations about the future—about care, decisions, and legacy—can be difficult to begin.

It’s natural to feel uneasy when facing topics that touch on illness, aging, or loss. But we also know that these are among the most meaningful conversations a family can have. When we talk openly about our wishes, we give our loved ones clarity. When we put plans in writing, we offer them peace of mind.

Estate planning is about much more than legal paperwork—it’s the thoughtful process of documenting your wishes, organizing vital information, and preparing your loved ones with guidance they can trust, both emotionally and practically.

At its heart, estate planning is an act of care. It reduces confusion and conflict, strengthens relationships, and provides reassurance that your affairs are in order. A well-prepared plan offers peace of mind now and comfort later, serving as a road map for your family in both ordinary and extraordinary times.

Estate Planning Is Personal

Estate planning is a deeply personal process. Each family’s situation, goals, and values are unique. Having a will or estate plan provides clarity for you and your family about how you wish to share your resources and protect those you care about.

It’s not only about what happens after you’re gone – it’s also about how you want to be cared for during your lifetime. Knowing that your plans are in place can bring immense comfort, giving you the confidence that your loved ones will be protected and prepared to navigate future decisions with understanding and strength.

Now, more than ever, we encourage families to take action today to protect tomorrow. Preparing now ensures that when the time comes, your family is equipped with the guidance they need and the reassurance that your intentions are clear.

Why Thoughtful Planning Matters

Estate planning helps ensure that decisions—financial, medical, and personal—reflect your true intentions.

A thoughtful plan may include:

• Wills and trusts
• Powers of attorney for financial and healthcare decisions
• Beneficiary designations for retirement accounts and insurance policies
• Advance directives or living wills

Without these in place, families may face unnecessary legal challenges and emotional stress during already difficult times. Surveys show that many adults in the U.S. lack current estate plans, often because they feel overwhelmed or unsure about where to start.

At Calvary, we want to help change that—by helping families view planning as an expression of love, not a source of worry.

Introducing What Matters Most: A Guide for Families

To help families take this important step, Calvary created What Matters Most: A Guide for Families – a practical workbook designed to bring clarity, organization, and peace of mind. This guide is not a legal document. It’s a simple planning companion that helps you gather details and record personal wishes in one place.

Inside, you’ll find sections to help with:

• Personal Information: Record key contacts, dependents, and essential documents
• Health Care Planning: List doctors, medications, and care preferences
• Financial and Legal Information: Note accounts, policies, and important records
• End-of-Life Preferences: Document your wishes for care and memorial arrangements
• Digital Life: Track online accounts, passwords, and subscriptions
• Legacy Reflections: Capture personal stories, values, and messages for loved ones

Completing the guide ensures that your family can easily find what they need—reducing uncertainty and offering comfort when it matters most.

Download the Guide

Calvary Is a Resource

For generations, families have turned to Calvary for support through life’s most profound transitions. Because our work centers on patients facing advanced illness, our staff has unique insight into the importance—and the comfort—that thoughtful planning can bring.

If you have questions about wills or estate planning, please contact: Amy Cassidy, Director of Development, Calvary Fund Inc. of Calvary Hospital at 718-518-2076

Please note: Calvary does not intend the information provided as legal advice. We strongly encourage you to consult an attorney skilled in estate planning to develop plans tailored to your personal circumstances. The concepts discussed here are illustrative only.

Calvary’s Commitment to Education and Professional Collaboration

Since 2003, Calvary has hosted an annual Trust and Estates Conference, offering continuing legal education to hundreds of the tri-state area’s leading trust and estate attorneys. The conference has earned a reputation for presenting timely topics, distinguished speakers, and thought-provoking discussions that keep professionals informed on evolving laws and best practices.

Our Calvary Fund team continues this tradition of excellence by assisting individuals and families who wish to include Calvary in their philanthropic planning. We work closely with professional advisors—attorneys, accountants, and financial planners—to help donors create legacy gifts that align with their values and goals.

A Collaborative Approach to Planning

Estate planning doesn’t have to be a solitary process. Many families today embrace collaborative planning—an approach that brings together trusted advisors from different disciplines.

Your team might include professionals in:

• Accounting and tax planning
• Financial advising and investments
• Insurance and long-term care
• Social work and eldercare coordination
• Banking and philanthropy
• Legal and trust administration

Together, this group helps you develop a plan that reflects your full life picture. Collaborative planning fosters open dialogue, sets clear expectations, and prevents confusion in the future. A little preparation today can bring lasting peace of mind – for you and for those who love you most.

Calvary’s Enduring Mission

At Calvary, our care begins long before a hospital stay and continues long after. For over a century, we’ve helped families face life’s most profound moments with courage, compassion, and grace.

Estate planning is one more way to care – with intention, with love, and with peace of mind. And at Calvary, we’re here to help you in any way we can.