Noted philanthropist Brooke Astor has died at the age of 105, the New York Times reports. Mrs. Astor, whose care and maintenance was the subject of highly publicized litigation, was better known for her generous support for causes great and small. May she rest in peace.
I apologize for what some might think is a morose or macabre bent we've taken here the last few posts, but a post that I saw recently on Jennifer Sawday's California Estate Planning Blog got me to thinking about funeral instructions. when I first sit down with a new client to talk about estate planning, one of the things I always ask is whether they have any particular wishes with respect to their funeral or the disposition of their remains. Not surprisingly - to me, at least - most folks tell me that they haven't given it much, if any, thought. Perhaps you would rather leave those decisions to your family. That's fine. If you have particular wishes, though - if you want to be cremated and have your ahses strewn over Yankee Stadium, or want a particular form of service, like a New Orleans Jazz funeral, or music (I want the clergy at my funeral all to wear black birettas - long story) - you need to make them known. I usually advise my clients to prepare a separate document outlining the fuenral wishes, and to provide a copy to their spouse, their children, and to put a copy on file at their church or synagogue, as well as in their safety deposit box. A colleaue of mine puts the instructgions in the will. That's fine too, althougb I also advise the separate letter, for a variety of reasons. The long and short of it is, put it in writing and make it known.
While I will confess to being a dog lover (and proud owner of an 11 year old Basset Hound, pictured here), I have never quite understood the notion of providing for a pet in a will or establishing a trust for that purpose. Many think that folks who do these things are, well, perhaps a little dotty (not that I share that view). It is a fact, however, that on an annual basis Americans spend more money on their pets than they do on their children. An increasing number of states, furthermore, have enacted legislation recognizing the validity of "pet trusts." If you are concerned that your dog, cat, chinchilla or other pet is cared for according to your wishes after your death, you will find the following post from the Adopt a Dallas Pet - Online PetWork blog of interest:
Enter keywords:
