I have been dealing with my brother's sudden death in 2016 without a will. Cared for my Mom (would do that all again). BUT I have another brother who didn't send a card, visit his Mom, etc. My Dad, in his words, is "loaded." He upped my MIA brother's percentage after my Mom died. (When I called the MIA brother to tell him our brother died, he said to me "how much money did he leave me and can I have his bike"). The excuse he gave my uncle, my Dad's younger brother, why he couldn't visit his Mom while she was dying was because it would be too stressful. I, obviously, can handle stress and, gee, after finding my life friend, my brother dead, he'd been dead for three weeks, and all I wanted to do was curl up in the fetal position in a corner, but I didn't get that option. Instead I had to deal with the funeral home, etc., all alone. In Canada, with the few family members I have living in the US.
So the gal who has been 'doing housekeeping for ~10 years said to me on Friday "you can out lawyer him." Ha! She said "you can contest the percentage your Dad has left him if you outlive your Dad." I never thought of that, and yes, I can out lawyer him. What I would rather see happen is my Dad write a check and a "sign off" document. Because, I know, he never sent a card, flowers, or visited my Mom, but I can guarantee you he will be on the door step wanting to know "how much money did he leave me and can I have his...fill in the blank....generator, car, ladder." Ha! I can out lawyer him. Meanwhile, going through stuff. Seeing my cousins again next week--taking grandma's mink jacket to be sent of to be made into memorial teddy bears and my Mom's Shirley Temple doll to one of my cousin's daughters. Makes my heart sing to give these things to the cousins. "How much money did he leave me, and can I have his bike." Death brings out the ugliest in people. BTW, I gave my brother's bike to my cousin's son.
Any DCers who don't have a will--get one. Any who are, like I am, all alone in life, get rid of stuff--don't make someone else do that. And, make sure you have a contact person you touch base with. Don't make someone do a welfare check on you. I can't sleep in the dark--gotta have a light on. I still see my brother's body. He had died 3 weeks before I did the welfare check. Don't do that to someone. Don't give them nightmares that never end.
Got a dog/cat/parrot, make sure you have made plans for that animal's care and don't expect your dog/cat/parrot to be able to call the sheriff, coroner, dr., funeral home.
Rant over.
