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A Willful Update of Important Senior Info from BrightStar Care North Suburban
Apparently, where there’s a will there’s a way to leave everything to Fido your dog, or Snuggles your cat. That’s what we discovered at BrightStar Care North Suburban.
Remember Leona Helmsley, the hotel empress with the rather intimidating nickname of “The Queen of Mean?” When she passed, she turned her back on most of her family and left $12 million dollars to her white Maltese, Trouble. From that point on, Trouble saw no trouble and lived life as the most pampered pooch in existence. He didn’t have to lift an arm to lift his leg, so to speak.
He was actually chauffeured around in a stretch limo, but he did eventually see his fortune reduced, not by fate, but by judge who knocked the inheritance down to a mere $2 million, hardly enough to keep a dog in Kibbles and Bits and the latest in “Coat Couture,” as pictured in this blog.
One of the mot interesting aspects of this is the stipulation in her will about what to do when Trouble went to the big kennel in the sky. The will called for Trouble to lie beside his mistress, in the 12,000-square-foot Helmsley family mausoleum in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Westchester County, N.Y. Since Ms. Helmsley was quite the despiser of dirt, $3 million dollars was set aside tor mausoleum to be "washed or steam-cleaned at least once a year." That must be for eternity.
We’re sad to report that Trouble bit the bullet (better than the mailman) and died at the age of 14 with many health issues as the cause. Her caretaker, Carl Lekic spent $100,000 annually on her care -- including $8,000 for grooming and $1,200 for dog food.
Note: If Your Will is Strange, Be Doggone Sure You Qualify as Sane
According to legal sources, while you can do something as odd as leaving your estate to your pet, unconventional wills or provisions can be subject to greater scrutiny by probate judges and courts. For this reason, estate counselors advise that it’s best to have a lawyer review your document. Most states require that you be mentally competent when making your will. Not only can your lawyer vouch for your mental state, but he or she can also help you word the provisions in a manner that will reduce unnecessary examination. In addition, you will want to choose trustworthy witnesses for your will. In the event that dissatisfied family members do contest your will, your witnesses will have to testify in court that you were, as the old saying goes, of sound mind and body.
Why Updating Your Will is Important for Seniors
From our research at Brightstar Care North Suburban, let’s get to topline reasons to update your will recommended by Forbes. Do check out the article.
At our in-home care agency, our focus is on providing the highest quality and most compassionate home care services on the North Shore. Our caregivers put their whole heart into it and the by-product of that – we are often told by family members and even our patients – is improved quality of life and a greater will to live. That means everything to everyone in the family. And speaking of wills, here are the reasons to update yours if you’re over 50:
1. Your assets or liabilities change – for better or worse. You should review how the property is divided and decide if the way you had it is the way you want to leave it.
2. Your qualified retirement plan is outdated. You need to update the beneficiary designations of 401(k)s, IRAs and other retirement plans.
3. You want to change executors or trustees. Perhaps you no longer trust them.
4. The objects of your affection can take a whole new direction. Love brightens, love dims. Relationship sweeten and sour. Usually, wanting to change who gets what, happens when there’s an addition or deletion to the family: a new child, grandchild, someone passes or gets seriously ill. Or there’s a major family feud and we’re not talking about the show on TV.
Thanks so much for joining us. Find out more about the vast range of home care services we provide on this website. Also check out another informative article on our website and visit an age-friendly home in Evanston. Please call us today at (847) 510-7510 or contact us so we can assist you with your home care needs.
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