Sooner or later, as one approaches a certain "age", wealth or responsibility, one needs to think about one's will. After doing some research, I found out a few odd facts about some wills and their peculiarities. First of all, some wills are famous for their length. Nelson Rockefeller's will was 64 pages long. Other wills are famously short. The shortest known legal will in history is that of Bimla Rishi of Delhi, India. His will, written in Hindi, translates as "all to son" and consists of just four characters.
Other wills are famous for the items bequethed, as in the case of Napoleon Bonaparte who left his articles of personal hygiene to his family. Last year, Leona Helmsley left 12 million dollars to her dogs but nothing to her grandchildren. Luis Carlos de Noronha Cabral da Câmara was a noble Portuguese who, in the presence of a notary, grabbed a Lisbon telephone directory and gave away his fortune to 70 people he called randomly.
One of the oldest wills was found in an Egyptian tomb and was written around the year 17 B.C. In this will, a man named Uah divided his property among his family and slaves and asked to be buried with his wife. The Romans were the first ones to write wills as legal documents, but it was not until the Middle Ages that wills became important.
According to Consumer Reports, 66% of Americans do not have a will. If after reading this blog entry you wish to begin to write one, here are some materials that might help you:
Nolo's simple will book by by Denis Clifford.
Your will and estate plan by Harvey Platt.
How to make your own will: with forms by Mark Warda.
Planning for the future: providing a meaningful life for a child with a disability after your death by L. Mark Russell and Arnold E. Grant - A handbook of information for parents as they plan for their child's life after their own deaths. Describes step-by-step all of the elements that parents must consider to provide a happy and fulfilling life for their child with a disability.
The complete book of wills, estates & trusts by Alexander A. Bove, Jr.
And look here for some additional materials!