There are two things in life that are unavoidable: death and taxes.
And in some cases, some deaths can lead to more taxes if the estate planning and last will and testament aren’t handled carefully.
After all, there’s a reason there are some ARTICLES ABOUT UNUSUAL WILLS and bequethes, with millions upon millions of dollars being left to care for family pets or monkeys.
George Bernard Shaw even tried to get the alphabet changed as part of his will, expanding the existing 26 letters we know and love to a much more reasonable 40 characters in the alphabet.
But all that pales in comparison with what recently happened to one of our friends as they were reviewing this important life document with their aging parents, just to be sure that their wills, living trusts, and other documents were in order.
Look, it’s something that everyone should do with their parents before their parents die. You shouldn’t have to wait until the funeral and have everybody rush over to the house to tag their favorite items to take in a last-ditch effort to get the good silverware or a favorite piece of furniture or electronics.
Electronics.
That brings us back to our friend and what she discovered as she was reviewing the list of items that were being left to her by her parents, as spelled out in the will. A legal, binding document that will be shared with others in her family and elsewhere.
What was left to her that she found so… unusual?
Her parents specified in the will that she should have her mother’s vibrator. And no, we aren’t making this up.
Needless to say, our friend was left practically speechless, and not necessarily at their generosity. Of course, she casually suggested that perhaps that wasn’t the best item to include i a will, and is having the lawyer work up some new documents for Mom and Dad.
Knowing this, what’s the most unusual item you’ve ever received as part of someone’s will?