Dear John
I wish to make a will, but I do
not have enough to go around. I fear that the Will may get into the wrong hands
and cause upset to those who do not get a mention.
JB, Sydney
Dear JB
It used to be that when you made a will it was stored away so that not
even your lawyer could find it. But in this digital age there are multiple
copies of wills on computers, attached to an email,
etc. This means that people worry that
their relatives and friends may get to see the Will before they go and get
upset that they have been left out or in some cases not been left enough. Such fear can drive clients to make wills that resemble an Oscar acceptance speech.
If your estate is modest then in order to give
something to everyone your lawyer can slice and dice your assets into bequest
sized packages and add a few things that you do not own now but aspire to own
by your death such as a Morgan, Rolex watch, villa in the South of France, etc. Gifts can be spread further by giving jointly to several
beneficiaries, or for life, or in succession i.e. if the legatee predeceases
you then someone else gets it. Add a “survivor takes all clause” and you could
increase the longevity of even the frailest
family member.
You will no longer need to fear a pre-death glimpse or even a full-scale relative review of your will. A
carefully drafted will can contain a cast
of beneficiaries who would do credit to a Cecil B. De Mille epic.
You will find yourself gaining in popularity as your will delights
family and friends alike. Not to mention a bigger turnout at your funeral even
if it is raining.
John Fytit
Extract from - I'll have the law on you -selected letters of John Fytit to be published later this year.
(c) Paul Brennan 2015. All rights reserved.
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