Is a will defined as a dead giveaway?
| A will is one of the few documents people are anxious to read but not particularly anxious to have take effect. We dress it up with dignified language such as “last will and testament” and “estate planning.” But when you get right down to it, a will is simply a dead giveaway. It is also your final opportunity to find out who has been paying attention. Who called regularly? Who remembered your birthday? Who borrowed your lawn mower in 1998 and returned it with a bent blade and an empty gas tank? These things have a way of lingering in a man’s memory, especially when he is sitting in a lawyer’s office deciding who gets what. Families become remarkably interested in your possessions once you no longer need them. That old clock nobody wanted suddenly becomes a cherished family heirloom. The battered fishing boat becomes a priceless reminder of happier days. Even your collection of coffee mugs may cause a disagreement between relatives who haven’t spoken in years. Personally, I think every will should contain at least one surprise. Leave the good china to the relative who eats every meal from a paper plate. Give your collection of instruction manuals to the fellow who never reads instructions. Leave the television remote to three people jointly and let them work it out. You won’t be around to enjoy the discussion, but you can depart knowing you provided the family with one final bonding experience. The Old Curmudgeon PS: Be nice to your older relatives. You never know who owns the good silverware. |
The Old Curmudgeon
PS: Feel free to comment – respectfully! Just remember I get to decide what respectfully is!