Vegemite Redux?
In the intersection of two common themes here (Australian probate craziness and the danger of DIY wills), a terminally ill Australian woman filled in a DIY will while (whilst?) at the hospital. The will was only four pages long, but had multiple pages of attachments addressing her wishes from who would receive her house (apparently multiple charities depending on her thoughts at the moment) to who would receive her step ladder, cow bell, and scrapbook items. The Australian court admitted the will to probate, but the future interpretation and litigation will incur tens of thousands dollars in legal fees for her estate.
A few low hanging points:
1. The cost of attorney fees for preparing a will properly is minor compared to the costs of fixing a will that was not prepared properly.
2. The larger intangible cost for this woman is that her assets might not be distributed to her preferred charities/individuals and under the terms she truly wanted.
3. Call me unsentimental, but I doubt anyone cares about the step ladder, cow bell, and scrapbook stuff.
Photo Credit: Zicasso Travel Website/unknown
License: Fair Use/Education
