Death and taxes, according to Ben Franklin, are the only two certainties in life, and most people don’t like planning for either one.

“We started collecting grandkids,” joked Bob Farrell, a member at the Cypress Campus of Houston’s First, who with his wife Andi, took advantage of the church’s relationship with PhilanthroCorp to test the waters of estate planning. Though they had never thought of it before, a well-timed conversation introduced them to the organization and the idea of protecting their assets, their beneficiaries and the church.

“We wanted to structure our assets in a way that would benefit our children and continue our charitable giving when our will goes into effect,” said Bob.

Young couples can also benefit from estate planning so they can rest assured their children are adequately cared for in the event of an untimely death.

In 2012, Houston’s First began working with PhilanthroCorp, a leader in estate planning that guides families in managing their estate assets in a way that reflects their desired legacy. Each summer the company leads a seminar at Houston’s First, “Biblical Principles of Estate Planning,” to discuss the biblical and practical aspects of having a will, life insurance and legal documents related to health and longevity. Formal estate planning is provided year-round to Houston’s First members at no cost to them, and neither the church nor PhilanthroCorp ever solicits bequest donations.

“God made it clear to us that he wanted us to be part of Houston’s First,” said Andi. “The growth Bob and I have experienced and the people we’ve met here — we want to make sure that others have the opportunities we have had. We want our resources to continue growing the kingdom of God.”

Andi and Bob appreciated the knowledge and professionalism of the consultant as he talked through each issue and created a flexible plan that allows them to rearrange or add charities to their portfolio. The advice and step-by-step instructions for their children, who range in age from 28 to 45, give the Farrells comfort that everything is in place. “The information comes to us put together in a nice box,” said Bob. “The kids can even call them if they need to have questions answered.”

Advancing the cause of Christ is important to Bob and Andi, and they want their legacy to reflect their devotion to God’s kingdom, especially to their children. “We want them to know how important God’s work is to us,” said Andi. “This is our opportunity to show them.”