It is important to have your last will and testament set in stone before tragedy strikes. Some wills, however, seem to have a little too much thought. Below is a list of the top three most bizarre wills that have been written and the steps you need to take in order to ensure your final wishes are respected as these were.
Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham was a philosopher during the 19th century. Before his death in 1832, he requested that he be dissected in front of students in order to teach anatomy. Even stranger than that, Bentham wanted his body preserved and put on display at the University College London.
If you want your body donated to science, you need to have it written in your will beforehand. Telling a spouse or family member isn't going to ensure your final wish is respected. Your loved ones will have so many decisions to make after you die, making sure your body is donated may be the further est thing from their mind. Write down, specifically, what you want to be done to your remains and have it signed by two people over the age of eighteen.
T.M. Zink
When T.M. Zink died, he left only $5 to his daughter and absolutely nothing to his wife. Instead, he put $35,000 in a trust and prohibited anyone from touching it for 75 years. In his will, he requested that after the 75 years, his money would be used to create a "No Women Allowed" library where women would not be allowed to enter and their works would not be allowed on the shelves.
While you might not want to create a library that excludes women, you may want to leave family completely out of your will. If you don't want your estate to go to anyone, it needs to be clearly stated. When you die, your closest relative, whether it be a spouse or a child, has rights over your estate unless otherwise stated in a legal document.
Leona Helmsley
The famous hotel owner Leona Helmsley, was very wealthy before she died. Despite having four grandchildren, she only named two of them in her will. She rewarded them with $10 million each, on the stipulation that they both visit their father's grave regularly and sign a sheet of paper to verify they were there each time. The biggest inheritance went to Helmsley's Maltese who was left with twelve million dollars.
Some people feel closer to their animals than the humans in their family. This is why some people opt to leave their inheritance to their pets. First, you have to designate a caretaker for your furry friend. It has to be someone you trust because, ultimately, they will have control over your estate as well. If your family isn't trustworthy, turn to a friend who you know will carry out your wishes. Be sure to put stipulations in your will stating that this trusted friend only has control over your estate so long as they see to best care for your pet.
Wills are necessary when protecting assets after you die. What may seem like bizarre requests for some, are perfectly acceptable to others. To safeguard your fortune when you die, be sure you have everything written down in detail and is looked over by a lawyer (such as one from Mauger & Meter). This will ensure your final wishes are respected when you die.
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