Did you know? You can ensure that your pets and other dependents are taken care of when you are gone, via your Will. This is usually quite straightforward, but here is an amusing but true pet story…
Avoid Trouble!
In 2004, billionaire hotelier Leona Helmsley left instructions for her $4bn (£2.5bn) fortune to be spent caring for dogs, having apparently re-thought an earlier draft that left it to the poor. Her nine-year-old Maltese, named Trouble, received $12m (£8m) in the Will, with her grandchildren either cut out or ordered to visit their father’s grave annually in order to inherit their share.
Trouble’s inheritance was later cut to just $2m (£1.2m) by a judge, although the dog still needed to go into hiding amid death and kidnap threats.
So make sure you leave enough for your pets to be cared for after your passing, but be pragmatic how much they’ll actually need!
For more advice on Wills get in touch with me here.
Catherine Sawbridge
