IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1499 
Designating the third week of October as ‘‘National Estate Planning 
Awareness Week’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 
Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself, Mr. BACA, Mr. BERRY, Mr. BOS-
WELL, Mr. BRALEY
of Iowa, Mr. CARSON, Mr. CAZAYOUX, Mr. 
CHILDERS, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. COOPER, Mr. 
COURTNEY, Mr. CRAMER, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. DELAHUNT, Ms. EDWARDS 
of Maryland, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. EMANUEL, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. ETHERIDGE, 
Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. HALL 
of New York, Ms. HARMAN, Mr. HILL, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. HOOLEY, Mr. 
ISSA, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. LEWIS of Geor-
gia, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. PERLMUTTER, 
Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. ROSS, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mr. RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. 
SALAZAR, Mr. SAXTON, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. SCHMIDT, Mr. SIRES, 
Mr. WALDEN of Oregon, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. 
WELCH of Vermont, and Ms. WOOLSEY) submitted the following resolu-
tion; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform 
RESOLUTION 
Designating the third week of October as ‘‘National Estate 
Planning Awareness Week’’. 
Whereas it is estimated that over 120,000,000 Americans do 
not have up-to-date estate plans to protect themselves or 
their families in the event of sickness, accidents, or un-
timely death; 
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•HRES 1499 IH 
Whereas a 2004 Roper poll commissioned by the American 
Institute for Certified Public Accountants found that 
two-thirds of Americans over age 65 believe they lack the 
knowledge necessary to adequately plan for retirement, 
and nearly one half of all Americans are unfamiliar with 
basic retirement tools, such as a 401(k) plan; 
Whereas careful estate planning can greatly assist Americans 
in preserving assets built over a lifetime for the benefit 
of family, heirs, or charities; 
Whereas estate planning involves many considerations, in-
cluding safekeeping of important documents, documenta-
tion of assets, operation of law in the various States, 
preparation of legal instruments, insurance, availability 
of trust arrangements, charitable giving, inter vivos care 
of the benefactor, and other important factors; 
Whereas estate planning encourages timely decisions about 
the method of holding title to certain assets, the designa-
tion of beneficiaries, and the possible transfer of assets 
during the life of the benefactor; 
Whereas many Americans are unaware that lack of estate 
planning and ‘‘financial illiteracy’’ may cause their assets 
to be disposed of to unintended parties by default 
through the complex process of probate; 
Whereas alternatives to disposition of assets after death, such 
as planned gift-giving, may accomplish a benefactor’s 
goal of providing for his or her family and favorite char-
ities; 
Whereas careful planning can prevent family members or 
other beneficiaries from being subjected to complex legal 
and administrative processes requiring significant ex-
penditure of time, and greatly reduce confusion or even 
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•HRES 1499 IH 
animosity among family members or other heirs upon the 
death of a loved one; 
Whereas important considerations as to donation of organs 
and use of life support functions may be made through 
the estate planning process; 
Whereas the implementation of an estate plan starts with 
sound education and planning, and then may require the 
proper drafting and execution of appropriate legal docu-
ments, including wills, trusts, and durable powers of at-
torney for health care; 
Whereas the third week of October should be designated as 
‘‘National Estate Planning Awareness Week’’; and 
Whereas the National Association of Estate Planners and 
Councils, representing over 28,000 estate planning pro-
fessionals, together with the Universal Press Syndicate, 
the largest independent newspaper syndicate in the world, 
are prepared to provide such educational information to 
the public in a focused manner during National Estate 
Planning Awareness Week: Now, therefore be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) encourages the distribution of estate plan-
ning information by professionals to all Americans; 
and 
(2) supports the designation of a ‘‘National Es-
tate Planning Awareness Week’’. 
Æ 
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