Quote:
Originally Posted by pylon
All joking aside, I went through the discussion with my folks a while back about all this stuff. My old man is an old Oil and Gas guy, and they really minded their finances over the years, and are pretty well set up.
When we were setting up their will, they had it set up that they would leave 75% to me, the remaining 25% to my deceased sisters kids. Since they raised the kids, I told them to split it 33/33/33, and leave me their house.
But I really, really wish, they could somehow perfectly time it, that they blow every last penny on an epic 10 year world tour spending the last one on their last day on earth, and leave nobody a nickel. Raising 2 sets of kids back to back earned them that right, but they just refuse to quit being such tightwads. It really bugs me actually, that they refuse to indulge in life, when they are both around 70, and don't have a ton of spry years left.
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I want to be shot to death at 94 years of age by a jealous teenage husband outside a diner where I've just put a delicious serving of pie ala mode on VISA knowing the credit card company would be stiffed because I'd already spent my last dime on a beer sunning myself at an outdoor patio bar further down the street.
I tell my clients to never leave anything behind that people can fight about . . . . . because they will. It doesn't even have to be about brothers and sisters but rather the husbands and wives behind the siblings screaming at them to "get in there and get your share."
Put names on pictures hanging on the wall, divide up the jewellry beforehand . . . . . its not just about the money.
If you care about your family, make sure there is nothing left to fight about when you leave this world.
The mantra of treating siblings "fairly but not necessarily equally" applies to a son who may be working the family business while other siblings went off to other careers. In that case, it can be impractical to be dollar-for-dollar fair about things.
If it were anyone else, I can tell you my mother would probably be making a big, big mistake in terms of family relations. Its not well-thought-through for sure. As a general principle, I think I should probably be offended at being essentially punished for being prudent and successful while my siblings are rewarded for the opposite.
I won't take it out on them any more than they already deserve.
Cowperson