Catholic Legacy Empowers Catholics to Make Faith the Center of Their Estate Plans with Free Online Tools

Lincolnshire, IL, October 15, 2024— Lack of planning can leave grieving loved ones with unclear direction and funeral wishes unmet, but there are very few resources for Catholics as they create end-of-life plans. Newly launched non-profit Catholic Legacy answers this need by offering standardized, user-friendly online tools that are available free of charge to assist Catholics in ensuring their values are reflected at the end of their lives and beyond.  Funeral planning, end-of-life healthcare, and planned giving tools make Catholic Legacy essential for peace of mind for individuals and their loved ones.

“Unfortunately, the estate and end-of-life planning process has a reputation for being difficult and fraught with moral complexities.  We founded Catholic Legacy to overcome that perception by providing a simple, standardized way for Catholics to move into the future with confidence and clarity,” said Chief Financial Officer Preston Allex.

Catholic Legacy’s team of attorneys and canon lawyers collaborated with the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC), priests, and other experts in moral theology to offer full estate planning services consistent with Catholic values. The product line offered by Catholic Legacy’s online platform includes an easy-to-use Catholic funeral planning tool, healthcare directives aligning with Catholic principles, and a planned giving tool.  Additionally, the platform was developed using best-in-class modern web programming languages and security.  

A comprehensive, streamlined plan was developed by Catholic Legacy that thoughtfully covers every step of funeral planning, including options for selecting funeral readings, music, and other personalized elements. This process also reduces the logistical burden on parish priests, allowing them to focus more on pastoral care. “All too often we see that a lack of planning leads to funerals that go against what the individual would have wanted because loved ones are either overwhelmed with grief or do not understand his or her wishes. We want all those who desire a Catholic funeral to get one,” said Allex.

Catholic Legacy ensures that end-of-life healthcare directives are informed by Catholic morality at every turn.  “There are so many end-of-life planning services that reflect secular values, leaving Catholics only to hope that loved ones are able to carry out Catholic-centered healthcare directives, their wishes for a Catholic funeral and burial, and wishes for their estate. Catholic Legacy ensures a Catholic end to a Catholic life,” affirmed Elizabeth Simutis, Director of Engagement and Growth.   

Catholic Legacy was founded on the principle that assisting individuals in planning their estates also aids charities in continuing their vital work worldwide.  Simutis noted, “Overall, users are leaving gifts to charity at a rate five times the national average, with about one in three making a charitable bequest in their Wills created on the Catholic Legacy platform.” Experiencing exponential growth since its launch this past summer, Catholic Legacy is on track to have over $100 million in bequests committed to charities through Wills created on the platform by the end of this year.