I’m astonished. It wasn’t even an hour after J____ confirmed the termination of our relationship when I suddenly felt new clarity to ask C____, the attorney he had recommended, to resume her research project or, in some ways, to start all over on a new project.

I wrote to C____,

As my wife and I have continued our researches into the feasibility of shifting our corporation into 501(c)(3) status, several things have become clear to us. Among them:

• The order in which we want to proceed with our broad-based legacy planning process.

And,

• Some of the questions we need to ask–including questions we need to ask of you.

In terms of order: we have realized that we want to continue research into the idea of shifting to a 501(c)(3) at the same time that we pursue other options.

As for the questions we believe we want and need to ask of you–for which we are happy to pay you the fees we agreed to: Read the rest of this entry »

Just for “completion,” I should probably note: the president of _____, the accounting firm that specializes in non-profit accounting, replied to my email this morning. He suggested we could talk sometime next week, and he’d bring in an attorney who works with their firm in the specific areas that are disturbing Sarita and me.

I told him about the arrangements we are making with C____, the attorney that J____ has urged us to engage. “With what I have just said, I am wondering if it makes sense for us, yet, to hold a phone conference. . . . What do you think?”

I haven’t heard back.

My guess: they’re passing. At least for now. And that should be fine for me. . . .

J____, our legacy planner, wrote to me just before 2 this afternoon.

I have a few minutes before we take off. Would you like to arrange an initial conference call with C____ [the high-powered attorney J____ knows in Denver who specializes in 501(c)(3) issues] to talk about the nonprofit issues and the application process?

Let me know if you would like to do so and I’ll get that arranged when I get back to the office tomorrow.

By the way, when it comes to nonprofit accounting experts [the firm you contacted] is the best. I have known [the founder] for years. They do our corporate and my personal taxes.

“I’d be delighted to speak with C____,” I replied, “if the strategy really can work. Sarita and I would like to move forward.”

This evening, then, after he got home, he wrote, “Your conversation with C____ will be exceedingly worthwhile on all this.”

Then, not quite an hour later:

In the flight magazine on the plane it tells about a AAA minor league baseball team that operates as a nonprofit organization (in Memphis). The baseball team fulfills part of the nonprofit’s mission.

I think your “business” has an even more legitimate mission and purpose that the baseball team. Getting you to be a nonprofit will take time and experience, but it can certainly be done.

While he has been traveling, however, I have done further research. And based on what I have found, I don’t think I can accept his comments without reply. So I just wrote him: Read the rest of this entry »

J____ wrote me a quick note about 8:30 this morning:

I have just a few minutes before I have to leave for a meeting, but I think it would be helpful for our discussions if you categorize your questions/concerns/needed clarification in one of three categories:

1. Financial
2. Logistical
3. Emotional Read the rest of this entry »

Today was the big day. I’ve been committed to acquiring a legacy plan, now, for almost a year and a half. Of course, I don’t merely want a plan; I want to implement a plan. But simply to get a proposal in hand so Sarita and I can look at it and (hopefully) say, “Yay, verily, this is what we want to do . . . ” –It’s been just shy of a year and a half.

So our legacy planner and his assistant came to our office and we spent about 3 1/2 hours going through their proposed plan. And it includes: Read the rest of this entry »

Yipes!

We’re not talking light work, here, when we put together a legacy plan! G____ wants pretty much everything related to our financial and legal situation: Read the rest of this entry »