August 4th, 2016

A philanthropist and lover of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra recently made one final gift upon her passing to the musicians she had enjoyed so much in her life. Marjorie S. Fisher, who had been known for her enthusiastic generosity and warm heart, dictated in her will that each of the 78 current full-time members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra were to be given a $5,000 one-time gift.

While it is not uncommon for patrons of the orchestra community to make gifts to one organization or another, this kind of intentional and personal generosity is nearly unprecedented. The gifts total $390,000, with each gift specifically designated as a part of her will, a provision that she was intent on keeping a secret until she passed.

Fisher’s love of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra was one that she took special care to consider when crafting her estate plan. One is hard-pressed to find more heart-warming examples of how personal and loving estate planning can become when it is undertaken with the understanding that how a person chooses to handle the resources at his or her disposal not only tells a story to that person’s community, but can make beneficiaries part of that story in beautiful ways. Marjorie S. Fisher understood the true power of intentional estate planning and philanthropy.

For those who wish to make the most of what they have and determine how their resources and assets will be dealt with once they pass on, a well-crafted estate plan is an essential tool. The guidance of an experienced estate planning attorney can help turn your philanthropy dreams into reality, just as your philanthropy can help to realize the dreams of others.

Categories: Estate Planning