The Lighter Side of Wills: Tales from our Clients

Writing a will— often conjures up images of sombre lawyers, dimly lit offices, and hushed conversations about mortality. But what if I told you there’s a lighter side? Of course, protecting and distributing everything that you own is serious. However, even in estate planning, moments of fun, unexpected humour, and quirky requests defy the conventional “doom and gloom.”

I’ve heard some genuinely memorable statements from my clients.  So, let me share a few gems from my experiences. Each anecdote is reproduced with the client's permission, who, though deserving of the accolade, shall remain anonymous.

I was explaining the benefits of Trust to protect the children's inheritance from remarriage.

The client's wife said (In jest), "If he remarried, she would probably be a younger model who is a crazy psychopath". To which he replied, "No, I am not making that mistake again".

I asked, "Do you have any funeral wishes?"

"He said yes. I want to be put into a hessian sack, Then for my brother to push me in a wheelbarrow the mile and a half from his local pub to a natural woodland burial ground. Planted with a tree seed, so I am back with nature." 

I said that sounded lovely and very specific; he must be keen on nature. He said, "I don't really care what happens. I just want my brother to be told at the wake that it was all a "wind-up" to make him laugh. 

I asked, "Do you have any funeral wishes?

He answered, "Yes, I love fishing. Make me into bait, chuck me in the river, and be done with it. The money saved will buy everyone a drink." (Postscript: He was joking)

I asked, "Do you have any preference for organ donation?"

He said yes. Send me to the scrap yard. I have titanium hips and chrome-cobalt knees. My son should get a "few quid" from scrapping that lot.

I asked, "Do you want to leave any money?"

He said, "Yes, tell my family I have left £10k in my house and a further £10k buried in the garden. That way, I can have a final laugh while they spend hours looking for money that does not exist, and they may even tidy the house for me."

I asked, "Do you want to forgive any debts?"

She said, hell no, in fact, you have just reminded me that I need to have a strong word with someone. 

I asked, "Are there any organs you don't want to donate, such as eyes or heart."

He said, "I contemplated donating my eyes but realised I'm short-sighted. Someone out there might be short-sighted, too, so why not? At least they'll be able to see what's right in front of them!" it's better than no eyes at all.

I asked, "Are there any specific gifts that you would like to leave anyone?" 

He said, "I have over a thousand music albums, most of which are metal and heavy rock. I am thinking of leaving £10k in cash to my son on the condition that he listens to every single song at least once."

I asked if his son liked the music. He said, "Of course not; that's the point!"

I was helping a client who was going through a painful divorce. 

She almost winced each time we mentioned her husband's name. To help, we agreed to refer to him as Voldemort. This brought a slight laugh each time it was mentioned, and this helped with an otherwise uncomfortable conversation.

I was helping a client with mild dementia. 

Amongst the standard questions.

I asked her if she knew her daughter's occupation.

She said, " Probably a stripper."

I asked what she wanted to do with her money when she passed away?

She said, "Stick it in my pockets and bury it with me".

I asked; regarding your Power Of Attorney, if your attorney wanted to take £50 out of your account to do the shopping for you at Tesco's, for example, would that be Ok?

She said " No ....pause... I don't shop at Tesco's."

I said Ok, for something larger, what if your attorney wanted a well-deserved holiday?

She Answers, " Well, she can pay for it herself".

She then looked at me and said I may forget the odd thing, but I am not daft".

Of course, she passed the assessment!

So, the next time you contemplate drafting your will or a power of attorney remember that it needn’t be all seriousness and stiff collars. Embrace the quirks, chat with me over a coffee, and know that even in the most formal legal documents, there’s room for a chuckle or two. After all, if you can't laugh, what can you do?

More anecdotes to follow, though feel welcome to tell me your own.