My grandmother used to teach us crazy songs. I have this memory of sitting in the back of her Subaru with my brother when I was just 7 or 8 years old belting out, “Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. Guess I'll go eat worms!”
Of course, crazy songs aren't the only thing my grandparents taught me. They taught me a lot about family, the importance of hard work, and all kinds of key life skills. Now that I'm an adult, I'm especially grateful for the influence they had on my life. And I'm not alone.
A full 84% of Americans say it's important to know about their history.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Dr. Karl Pillemer of Cornell University writes, “Research shows that as many as 9 out of 10 adult grandchildren feel their grandparents influenced their values and behaviors. Grandparents transmit to their grandchildren the values and norms of social order.”
What exactly do grandchildren want to know about their grandparents? I'm glad you asked. Here's what a survey conducted by Ancestry.com revealed:
Top 5 Things Americans Want to Know About Their Grandparents:
- Stories of when they were young (72%)
- Childhood memories (62%)
- Where your family came from (62%)
- Their heritage (62%)
- Life advice (51%)
Is Your Legacy Missing This Key Ingredient?
So often when an estate plan is drafted, you sit down with your attorney or financial adviser and focus on the tangibles — your investments, cash, jewelry or other items you plan to pass on. It’s easy to forget just how important the intangibles are.
What makes for a great legacy? A life well-lived, whatever that means to you. When you share your stories and memories with your loved ones, it helps them to navigate their own lives and discover values, principles and traits that enable them to develop deeper meaning. You can do this as a part of your estate plan—such as create a book, video or letter to be passed on to your loved ones when you die — or you can do it now and make it an active part of your life. (For more on that, read A Unique Estate-Planning Idea: How to Write Your Memoir.)
I’m always in favor of sharing as much as you can now because a close, loving family who talks with each other and knows one another’s stories is a family who has created a supportive culture for growth and introspection.
So, the next time you're sitting around the dinner table with your family, share a story about a meaningful experience, some family history or tell about that time when Aunt Lisa told a joke so funny that it cracked up the cop who had just pulled her over and helped her avoid a speeding ticket.
You never know what great conversations will bloom.
And ... if you're really proactive, grab a recorder or hit the video record button on your phone. These memories are treasures your family will love more and more as the years go by.
-
The Most Popular Apps for Retirement Planning in 2025A J.D. Power survey ranks retirement planning apps based on customer service and satisfaction. Does your financial app make the cut?
-
Don't Disinherit Your Grandchildren: The Hidden Risks of Retirement Account Beneficiary FormsStandard retirement account beneficiary forms may not be flexible enough to ensure your money passes to family members according to your wishes. Naming a trust as the contingent beneficiary can help avoid these issues. Here's how.
-
Don't Disinherit Your Grandchildren: The Hidden Risks of Retirement Account Beneficiary Forms
Standard retirement account beneficiary forms may not be flexible enough to ensure your money passes to family members according to your wishes. Naming a trust as the contingent beneficiary can help avoid these issues. Here's how.
-
This Is How Life Insurance Can Fund Your Dreams NowBeyond a death benefit, life insurance can provide significant financial value and flexibility through 'living benefits' while you are still alive, helping with expenses like education, business ventures or retirement.
-
Potential Trouble for Retirees: A Wealth Adviser's Guide to the OBBB's Impact on RetirementWhile some provisions might help, others could push you into a higher tax bracket and raise your costs. Be strategic about Roth conversions, charitable donations, estate tax plans and health care expenditures.
-
One Small Step for Your Money, One Giant Leap for RetirementSaving enough for retirement can sound as daunting as walking on the moon. But what would your future look like if you took one small step toward it this year?
-
This Is What You Really Need to Know About Medicare, From a Financial ExpertHealth care costs are a significant retirement expense, and Medicare offers essential but complex coverage that requires careful planning. Here's how to navigate Medicare's various parts, enrollment periods and income-based costs.
-
I'm a Financial Planner: Could Partial Retirement Be the Right Move for You?Many Americans close to retirement are questioning whether they should take the full leap into retirement or continue to work part-time.
-
From Mortgages to Taxes to Estates: How to Prepare for Falling Interest RatesAs speculation grows that the Federal Reserve will soon start lowering interest rates, now is a good time to review your financial plans for housing, estate, taxes, investing and retirement to make the most of potential changes.
-
This Is How Lottery Winners Build Lasting Legacies, From a Financial ProfessionalWinning a massive lottery jackpot, like the recent $1.4 billion Powerball, requires seeking immediate legal and financial counsel, protecting your identity and winnings and planning your legacy.
