Can't take it with you... anyone else find this thought-provoking?

[elliott]

I thought this was a really interesting programme and got me thinking about my own will, which needs renewing.
Specifically, how much of your estate would you leave to your children? how much is too much? And if not to them, to what?

My children are about to inherit an amount of money that I feel uncomfortable about and that I certainly don't want to add to (assuming I live long enough to see them to adulthood and independence). But would they feel resentful if I left a large proportion to charity? And how to choose what charity?

And of course, this is assuming I die with something to my name!

Equally between children doesn't recognise the grandchildren's needs, but equally bypassing the adults who have no children doesn't feel right either.

You see we would naturally allocate quite a bit to the grandchildren anyway, my brother with the children would use anything he received as a deposit for a house, he currently cannot have his children overnight as he's nowhere to take them, but I think he'd use that as a bargaining tool to get the lot left to him.
My sister doesn't want children but has a low paid job by choice so again just because she chooses to spend more time with her horses rather than work why should she inherit more than my other brother training to be a teacher.
Of course none of them will want to pay for the funeral, that'll fall to me and I don't even like the woman :(
It's a minefield.

Yes I think that's why the only way that doesn't open up a lot of potential for strife is equally between siblings. End of story.

But then the really complicated bit is second families, half siblings, how to count accumulated wealth when a new spouse has come on the scene late in life, etc etc. now THAT's a minefield. At least if there are only two parents involved its relatively easy to make a fair division bewteen children!

Wow just watched this program from last night with my DH who is a Solicitor. He said he would never intervene on moral grounds. It is his place to advise on what provisions can be made on a legal basis not on what he believes is fair and right.

I couldn't understand why either of these men are married to their partners, not because of their views on distributing their respective estates but the wives' blatant lack of interest (and seeming dislike) in their step-children. I completely understand that step families are often far from perfect but cat-woman actively did not want to see or have any relationship with her Husand's Sons.

I found Kiera and Tom harder to understand. She really behaved appaulingly and said some unforgivable things about his daughters. Fine, you leave your Estate to whoever you like but don't try and dissuade your Husband from looking after his children and grandchildren. Thank goodness for Gerry Robinson.

Really interesting and thought-provoking program. I shall be watching next week.

i was gobsmacked watching this. i can't understand why either of the men were married to their partners. i agree army wife seems to have jealousy issues and cat woman just seemed to be difficult because she could iykwim. sad really.