Where There's A Will...Your Thoughts

[kenkew]

I remember reading somewhere that you can get your DNA merged with an apple tree....not sure how that happens! Although how your relatives would feel about eating a bit of you every time they ate an apple........ ???

Talk about getting under your skin..Shish!... :D

(Are we getting slightly off topic, peeps?)

[kenkew]

[Deb P]

(Are we getting slightly off topic, peeps?)

Sorry.......... :-[

[kenkew]

(Are we getting slightly off topic, peeps?)

Sorry.......... :-[

(We're all guilty, Deb's)... :-X

[carrot-cruncher]

Have a will which gets updated everytime I re-mortgage 'cos the solicitor who handles my conveyancing throws it in free of charge.   It's also to ensure that my estate is split according to my wishes as I have no OH & never have had nor do I have children/dependents.

As time goes by the split in my estate changes due to nieces/nephews growing up & joining the work force etc.

Having seen the debacle/family arguments that occurred when the grandparents died I have executors who are trusted friends who I know will carry out my wishes.   They are also aware of the secondary document which states in details my funeral wishes regarding what to dress me in, what music to use, cremation over burial & where to scatter my ashes.

CC

[Kea]

Where there's a Will there's a relative...  :-X

Sorry saddad. but you missed out the word greedy.

valmarg

I agree he did miss that very important word.........every family has one greedy and my Mum chose her most greedy and devious son as executor.
Unfortunately although we have been told we have a case we have also been told it will cost more than we will gain. She had been warned that he wasn't trustworthy, particulary by our Dad, but he was her favourite.

My Mother wrote me letters and told me how she wanted her personal belongings distributed but they're not worth the paper they're written on because the will written less than 2 weeks before her death leaves the distribution at the discretion of my Brother. This includes the dinner set that was to be mine but because it was too difficult and costly to send over here (from NZ) i suggested it should be given to my nephew (my brother's own son) and his wife because of the care they gave her in her last years. Apparently they haven't been given it.

[jesssands]

I thought I'd dig this old subject up again. As we have just lost a loved one and it prompted us into making our own wills.

I know everyone situation is different but I thought it would be good to share with you a few things I learnt on Saturday about wills and the law.

I live with my partner in "his" house. If he should become ill, for instance had a stroke and needed care that I could not provide, the government would force the sale of his house to pay for his care in a care home, currently about £1200 a week. And I would be homeless. We have now made provision for this by making ourselves "tenants in common" which means that upon his death I would borrow his house until my death. Then it goes to his children.

The other thing I learnt was that, if probate takes longer than 6 months, the estate is liable to inheratance tax @ 18%. Now we don't want to be giving them this! So its in our own interests to keep things up to date.
If you have someone named on a will, say 5 years ago, that is no longer at that address, he/she has to prove that they are who they say they are and probate will want to see say a utility bill with the name and adddress of the named person at the said address. Now I wouldn't be able to find an old bill from previous addresses, So I am guessing no one else could! so just to nudge to ev1 to keep things up to date to keep things simple to sort out afterwards.

Also if there are children under 18 years. Even if you think you have nothing to leave in a will, you still need to make one to provide provision for your children. They will automatically go into care, if there are no parents and no will.Its to protect the child from child abuse. And then a relative would have to go through like an adoption process to get them back out. Only need to nominate someone to care for them upon on your death... easy.


Hope these few things are of help to someone.
Know its not a nice subject, but hope this might be useful to some folks.

[kenkew]

Thanks for that info, Jes'.
It really is a minefield when it comes to the 'crunch' and it's good advice to tread careful and know the 'rules'!!(Who does?)
But how sad it is that the law can step in and upset the wishes of those who have worked so hard to create what they have, those who simply want their hard earned efforts to be passed on to their loved ones, to do right by those who have cared for them. Those wishes sometimes seemed to be misinterpreted by those not close to the person in question.
Is it really just down to money? If so, how sad.
:(