Estate Planning for Catholics: A Guide to Doing God's Will in Your Will (And Other Estate Planning Documents)

By Salvatore LaMendola

If your last will and testament and other estate planning documents were put on trial after your death before a jury of strangers, would there be enough evidence to convict you of having been a Roman Catholic? If your answer is no but you would like it to be yes, then this book is for you. On a document-by-document basis, with numerous sample provisions included, you will learn how to do Gods Will in your Will and other estate planning documents.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546233183

Salvatore LaMendola

Salvatore J. LaMendola, Esq. has been a member in good standing of the Michigan Bar since 1994. He practices law in Troy, Michigan, and he resides in Oakland Township, Michigan, with his wife of twenty-three years and their six children. Additional information about him and his law firm may be obtained by visiting www.disinherit-irs.com.

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© 2017 Salvatore J. LaMendola. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/16/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-3319-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-3318-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018903281

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Cover Art: Francis Renounces His Paternal Inheritance, Stripping off His Clothes before the Bishop of Assisi, Giotto Di Bondone (1266–1337). See chapter 7 for more on renouncement (or disclaimer) planning.

This book is meant to educate and assist readers. It is not meant to give legal advice. It speaks neither in the name of the Roman Catholic Church nor in the name of the author’s law firm. This book is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a qualified estate planning professional or tax specialist. The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this book.

DOUAY-RHEIMS 1899 AMERICAN EDITION (DRA)

Scriptures were taken from the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition of The Bible - Public Domain.

Contents

Acknowledgment

Introduction

Chapter 1   The Health Care Proxy: Before Death

Chapter 2   The Health Care Proxy: After Death

Chapter 3   The Durable Power of Attorney

Chapter 4   Last Will and Testament: Catholic Preamble

Chapter 5   Last Will and Testament: Guardians

Chapter 6   Last Will and Testament: Pre-Residuary Gifts

Chapter 7   Last Will and Testament: Residuary Bequests for Children

Chapter 8   Last Will and Testament: Residuary Bequests to Charity

Appendix

Mariae, Matri Dei, et Mei

Acknowledgment

The author is most grateful to Mrs. Kathleen Plumb, editor and publisher of The Four Marks (www.thefourmarks.com), without whose patronage and encouragement this book would not have been completed.

Introduction

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do,

do all to the glory of God.

—1 Corinthians 10:31

Does your estate plan give glory to God? Or does it ignore Him completely as most do:

According to many surveys, 95+ percent of Americans believe in God or some type of higher power, yet few estate plans address any aspect of religion, or a particular philosophical attitude. This inadequacy has tremendous personal impact, because no area of the law is more fraught with religious issues than estate planning. If you endeavored to live your life in conformity with your religious beliefs, then your final medical decisions, funeral arrangements, and distributions under your will should be consistent with those beliefs.¹

If it ignores Him completely, use this book to change that. It was written to help you do God’s Will in your Will² (and other estate planning documents).

CHAPTER 1

The Health Care Proxy: Before Death

See ye that I alone am, and there is no other God besides Me:

I will kill and I will make to live.

—Deuteronomy 32:39

Since the greatest gift we have from God is life itself, it makes sense to start with the estate planning document that deals with