Legal Definitions - ethical will

Definition: An ethical will is a written document that expresses a person's beliefs, values, and wishes to be passed down to specific individuals after their death. It has no legal significance but is used to convey meaningful thoughts that a person may not have had the chance to express before they passed away. The practice of creating ethical wills is often traced back to Jewish and Christian traditions, but people now create them for various reasons.

• A grandfather writes an ethical will to his grandchildren, expressing his love for them and sharing stories about his life experiences that he hopes will inspire them.
• A mother creates an ethical will for her children, outlining her wishes for their future and expressing her hopes that they will continue to live by the values she has instilled in them.

These examples illustrate how an ethical will can be used to pass down personal beliefs, values, and wishes to loved ones after a person's death. They show how the practice can be used to provide comfort and guidance to those left behind and to ensure that a person's legacy lives on.