Estate Planning Event Is A Mistake

(The following letter to Booth Library Director Janet Waycik has been received for publication.)

Dear Janet:

I have come out of my cave long enough to express my dismay and anger at the estate planning seminars scheduled for October 3 and 17. My law practice in the past few years has been almost entirely in estates, and I have seen a great many of these financial helpers come and go. Generally speaking, they are not altruistic and their presentations end up with a sales pitch, sometimes for insurance, sometimes for annuities, and sometimes for financial advice and management. If you look carefully at the notice, you will find that the small type gives information about how securities and other services are offered through parent or affiliated corporations, which obviously takes a little away from the public service nature of the notice. This is nothing that the Library should be endorsing, which it is doing by housing it in the library.

The final touch, which is rather offensive, is that it deals with estate planning, etc “for individuals with net worth in excess of $2,000,000.” I presume this means that people who attend should bring copies of their income tax returns in order to gain admission. Knowing what a wealthy town Newtown is, I assume that the overflow will be accommodated on the lawn.

Seriously, this event is a great mistake; I hope the Library Board will recognize that and cancel it.

Sincerely,

Herman Jervis

17 Taunton Lane, Newtown                                        September 13, 2000