Lanier Thomas is a seasoned estate planning attorney at Fennemore Dowling Aaron Law Firm based in Fresno, CA. When asked why he became an estate planning attorney, Lanier said, “I wanted to help people build and preserve things.”
With an impressive 45 years of experience helping individuals and families preserve their assets and legacies, Lanier has a unique perspective on the value estate planning has for an individual, family, business, and community.
The Ten Talents Foundation exists to help people mobilize a movement of generosity through strategic giving tools. With this in mind, our team asked Lanier, how can a person give to causes they love and make a lasting impact through an estate plan?
Understanding the Basics of an Estate Plan
Before diving into Lanier’s insights, it’s essential to understand what an estate plan is. In simple terms, an estate plan is a collection of legal documents that outline how a person’s assets will be distributed upon their passing. More than just a financial blueprint, it ensures loved ones are cared for and minimizes potential legal complications.
An estate plan isn’t just for the wealthy. Lanier explained, “If you’ve got a house, you’ve got something worth protecting… It’s about leaving your family with good instructions and saving them years of needless expense and heartache.”
Reflecting a Person’s Values through an Estate Plan
Lanier approaches estate planning with curiosity and precision, ensuring each plan reflects the client’s unique values.
“One of the biggest questions I like to ask people is, ‘Where did you learn about money and money’s role in your life and the world?’” Lanier explained. This helps him understand a client’s heart for giving and how that can be reflected in their estate plan.
Lanier encourages clients to focus their generosity on a few key causes. “[I] like people to focus on 4-5 charities in their estate planning,” he said.
He also asks: “What organizations can you give to nowI?” and “What assets do you not need anymore?” Helping clients work through these questions can lead them to give to causes they love now, sell assets, and create a much simpler, straightforward estate plan.
The Transformational Impact of Including Nonprofits in Estate Plans
Incorporating nonprofits and ministries into estate plans has the potential to bring transformative, and lasting change to entire communities.
“I’m a realist—I don’t think you can fix everything,” Lanier admitted. “But if it’s done effectively, I think [if more people included giving in their estate plans], we would hear more stories of impact.” It costs a lot for nonprofits to make real change in people’s lives, and strategic giving can fuel that work, explains Lanier.
Lanier emphasized the ripple effect of generosity: It’s not just here in the Central Valley; ”you can make an impact worldwide.“ From funding local community programs to sending medical supplies overseas, the possibilities are endless.
Why Give through an Estate Plan?
“In my experience, people who have had a heart of generosity… [are] more satisfied in life,” Lanier shared.
Lanier emphasized that generosity isn’t just about monetary gifts; it’s about instilling values. “To me, it’s not about what you pass on and who you pass it on to, as much as it is about passing on a spirit of generosity for your family- for your kids, and for your grandkids.”
By weaving generosity into an estate plan, individuals not only provide financial security for their loved ones but can also create a lasting example of giving that can inspire future generations.
Estate planning provides a unique opportunity to align one’s values with their resources, ensuring their legacy reflects what truly matters most.
Your Legacy, Your Impact
While it is challenging, estate planning challenges us to confront an often-uncomfortable reality. “Many people don’t want to think about death,” Lanier acknowledged. “We have to face our mortality, and as Christians,… we should be able to face that.”
Rather than avoiding the topic, estate planning allows you to take intentional steps to steward what you’ve been entrusted with in a way that reflects your faith and priorities. By including nonprofits in your will or trust, you can provide for your loved ones while also supporting the causes that matter most to you.
The impact doesn’t end with this generation—gifts given through thoughtful estate planning can plant seeds of generosity that will bless communities, transform lives, and inspire others for decades to come.
Your legacy is more than wealth; it’s a reflection of your values and the hope you want to leave behind. A well-planned estate ensures that the love and generosity you’ve shown in your life will continue making a difference long after you’re gone.
The Role of Ten Talents in Helping You Build a Generous Legacy
Creating an estate plan or updating an existing one doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The Ten Talents Foundation can connect you with resources and experts like Lanier who can help you incorporate giving into your plan in a way that reflects your heart and priorities.
We also provide tools like Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), a simple yet effective way to steward your generosity. DAFs are like charitable investment accounts, allowing individuals, families, or businesses to give in a tax-wise, strategic way to causes they care about. DAFs can be incorporated into an estate plan and passed onto the next generation.
“A family can say, ‘Here are the causes that matter to us,’ and within reason, Ten Talents will follow that guidance [when helping you give through your DAF],” Lanier shared. It’s a powerful way to leave a legacy of generosity.
Whether you’re creating your first estate plan, refining an existing one, or starting a Donor Advised Fund, Ten Talents want to help you along the way.
Lanier Thomas, one of Ten Talents’ first board members and a current member of our advisory team, has helped us understand how a strategic, prayerful, thoughtful estate plan can bless lives, transform communities, and inspire future generations.
If you would like to start an estate plan or include a charitable gift in your existing will or trust, contact Ten Talents through the button below. We will connect you with the right people and resources to help you have peace of mind and leave a lasting legacy.
