“The Beneficiary: Elena Iacono is a 43-year-old communications professional turned entrepreneur in Oakville. She’s been married for 14 years and has no children. Her beloved Italian grandmother died four years ago, after a long, full life with plenty of extended family.

The Inheritance: Ms. Iacono’s grandma had been a widow for a long time and had a sufficient, but not exorbitant estate that included a $15,000 cash gift for each of her seven grandchildren. But not everyone was grateful or satisfied, Ms. Iacono says. “Unfortunately, a lot of them are fighting now over jewelry and furniture and the house.” The squabbling had roots in events before her grandmother’s death and has snowballed to a mounting legal battle between families and, consequently, generations, she says. ”

““My family has been completely destroyed over this and I doubt we’ll speak ever again,” Ms. Iacono says. Of everyone involved, Ms. Iacono feels worst of all for her grandmother. “It breaks my heart that my poor grandmother – and ultimately my grandfather too – has been boiled down to just money, rather than the values that they espoused like family, tradition and respect.” 

Her grandparents moved from Sicily to Montreal with no money and just a suitcase in hand. They “came here for a better life and they got it and were so grateful.” That all they’d worked for and attained would eventually rip the family apart, was never part of the plan. ”

What she did with it: Since her grandmother would be “absolutely devastated to see this selfishness and greed,” Ms. Iacono says she became motivated to give her grandma something better to look down on. With her now bittersweet $15,000, Ms. Iacono decided to start a legacy business honouring what she calls “human inheritance” – trademark pending – to “help people capture the non-tangibles just as much as we do the tangibles.” 

“I thought about what might have helped us avoid this situation and I kept coming back to her voice,” Ms. Iacono says. Short of a living grandmother telling the younger generations to smarten up, audio of her telling her story and imparting her wisdom might remind the remaining family members about what really matters. From there, LegacyNex was born. 

“With her inheritance, Ms. Iacono started LegacyNex, a bespoke business dedicated to recording the stories and wisdom people want to give, after they’ve passed away, to their loved ones. She paid to incorporate the company and build a website for it. 

In order to create the personal legacy, Ms. Iacono does a detailed two-hour interview. “I sit with my clients and ask: ‘Who are you? What are you most proud of? What messages do you want to convey? What do you want to know that they might return to in moments of adversity?’” ”

“Rather than stories and histories with dates and years, Ms. Iacono focuses on meaning, values and introspection. 

From the oft-tear-filled interviews, Ms. Iacono uses her communication skills to write up and perfect the interview, while her team edits the audio file. As part of the delicate process, she signs a non-disclosure agreement. 

The end result can be tucked away with the will for when the time comes. For that moment, Ms. Iacono ends each interview asking for any personal messages they would like to give to specific friends and family members during their grief. 

What she learned: In LegacyNex’s first year, Ms. Iacono completed about 40 personalized human inheritance packages for clients ranging from their 30s to the ripe old age of 97. Ms. Iacono still works her day job, for now, but is hoping the more fulfilling LegacyNex will eventually become a full-time gig. “This is my way of turning the anger I feel about my family around into something good in the world,” she says. “It’s not about the money; it’s about the person.”

“Ms. Iacono happily imagines a world where legacy projects like this are regularly done alongside – not in lieu of – traditional estate planning. “Just like you do all your other financial documents, you should do something like this for your family,” she says. No matter what someone is bequeathing, memories may prove to be more valuable. ”

“What this 43-year-old did with a $15,000 inheritance after her grandma’s death caused turmoil”

Rosemary Counter

The Globe and Mail

April 1, 2026