It's probably fair to say that thinking about sitting down and writing a Will can be a bit of a daunting and depressing prospect. Never more so than when the world feels upside down and everything is a bit uncertain.
At Gepp Solicitors we understand that talking about what happens after death is not everyone's favourite topic and therefore, where appropriate and when possible, we do try and make Will appointments as light and as comfortable as possible. One of our Solicitors has even received feedback from a client to say that they made the process of putting a Will in place fun!
Although Wills are serious and important legal documents, putting a Will in place doesn't need to be an entirely sombre activity. Over the years there have been some unique and smile-worthy bequests made in Wills, some favourites below:
Portuguese aristocrat Luis Carlos de Noronha Cabral da Camara left his fortune to 70 strangers which were selected randomly from the Lisbon phone directory.
US comedian Jack Benny left provision is his Will for a single long stemmed rose to be delivered each day to his wife for the remainder of her life.
Hotelier and property investor Leona Hemsley left $12million to her brother stipulating that this was to be used for her Maltese, to ensure that the dog never ran out of dog biscuits.
Henry Budd left his fortune to his two sons on the condition that neither grew a moustache.
While it's hoped that these examples brought a smile, it's important to remember that any Will needs to be drafted properly and correctly to ensure that your wishes are accurately documented. We would always recommend instructing a professional to draft or review your Will to ensure that it is legal and properly reflective of your wishes.
If you would like advice on how a bequest can be included in your Will or wish to speak to one of our solicitors about putting a Will in place, please contact our Private Client department on 01245 228125 or email PrivateClientEnq@gepp.co.uk and one of the team will be happy to assist you.
