How to approach the inheritance issue....head on !

To Jason, Justin and Jennifer,

When I first learned that I would be a grandfather, my outlook on life was gradually transformed. I began to wonder what kind of "legacy" I might leave behind for you and our grandchildren. This letter is an attempt to document and explain the reasoning behind my decision.

As you know, my own father will leave me a sizeable financial windfall, which I hope to use and nurture so that we might live our lives comfortably into retirement. With careful planning and execution we should be able to pass on some of these assets in the form of a family trust for you all to enjoy (more about that later). Even so, I wanted to do something a bit different -- I've decided to leave you with what can only be described as real "treasure".

Our country is going through some difficult financial times, to say the least. The current economy is in shambles, even worse than when Jimmy Carter was President. To make matters worse, Congress -- both and -- have created so much debt that it can never be repaid, even as the Federal Reserve prints billions upon billions of Federal Reserve Notes to create an illusion of wealth. The almighty American dollar is in real danger of becoming worthless paper, and my fear is that your generation will be saddled with a yoke of debt that will follow you into your own "sunset years".

Since I cannot currently afford to buy physical gold at current prices, I began to ponder the alternatives and decided to invest in silver -- real silver. But the cost of silver can fluctuate greatly in the free market. If I bought one ounce silver bars, they might be worth less than what I invested once they are finally passed into your possession. There had to be a better way, and I believe I've found it -- Morgan silver dollars.

With that in mind, I will embark on a new journey -- collecting Morgan silver dollars. Why, you ask ? The Morgan silver dollar is, first and foremost, comprised of 90% silver and 10% copper, and is very likely the most widely collected American coin in existence. Tens of millions were produced, and are still available on the open market in varying grades. The key to collecting is to acquire the highest quality dollars that have been professionally "graded" and certified as to their authenticity. This collection will become part of the Family Trust, an "asset" that will flow into your possession after we have passed. Although I have no intention of dying anytime soon, I want you all to be aware of these efforts to build my own form of "heritage", one that should provide a bit of a financial cushion as the years go by.

I have no way of knowing how our monetary system may evolve in the coming years, but I can foresee it becoming some sort of digital "chits" traded in cyberspace, or some other yet-to-be conceived system of trade not based upon silver or gold. If that vision holds true, the intrinsic value of this collection of Morgan silver dollars will, no doubt, increase substantially.

Included with each copy of this letter is a real Morgan silver dollar in protective packaging, which is yours to keep. They've been cleaned and shined, so they are less collectible but still represent almost a full ounce of "real" money from an era that is steeped in history. I hope that you will keep these dollars with this letter as a reminder of our country's greatness and my hope for a better life for all of you. This will be my "legacy" to you -- a bit of real "treasure" that will grow in value over the years. Your Morgan silver dollar should be handled with care, preferably with gloves (or by the edges) to prevent soiling the surface.

I will collect as many Morgan silver dollars as time and finances allow, which will be housed in professional-grade albums, along with a record of each coin's grade and price paid at purchase. This information will prove invaluable to document the collection's value in the future.

So there you have it ! Enjoy your silver dollar, but keep it safe -- you are holding a piece of American history, which should increase in value as the years pass. You are holding your future in your hands, which is as it should be.

Love,

Dad

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