Psychologically does making a Will signal the "End" for some people?

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Is the act of making a will a practical acceptance of realising one's own mortality or psychologically accepting that "The End Is Nigh!"..?

[Huguenot]

I made a will when I got married, the good lady Bumblina made one last week. I hope our end isn't nigh.

[????]

Nope, just sensible planning if you'be got kids.

The death of my dad, that's the one that brought my own mortality rushing up to me

[Tony.London Suburbs]

A further thought.

If someone dies and is owed a significant amount of money by a friend, is that debt erased or does the money go to the deceased's Estate if it is the deceased who is owed the money Guys?

If a Legal Document is drawn up stating "A over B" a certain sum, does that debt get erased if the person who is owed the money die first?

[????]

death writes off nothing apart from you - your estate is liable for any legal debts - 'gentlemens' agreements are harder to prove and so may be harder get paid off

[????]

...sorry and vice-versa having read your post properly!

[Tony.London Suburbs]

I do have a "Gentlemens Agreement" at the moment ????.

Both parties are, roughly, of a similar age and neither party has made a Will.

[ClareC]

money is still owed, just owed to estate instead and distributed to the beneficaries under the will or in accordance with the intestacy rules where no will.

[SteveT]

A will is produced to avoid any part of your estate going to the inevitable ne'er do wells that emerge in large numbers from your family when it comes to probate.

The true nature of people is glimpsed during this time.

[Mellors]

I think the think which made me realise my own mortality was when friends/aquaintances of my own age (rather than parents) started to get serious illnesses or die.

Making a will was just admin for me.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

SteveT Wrote:

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> A will is produced to avoid any part of your

> estate going to the inevitable ne'er do wells that

> emerge in large numbers from your family when it

> comes to probate.

>

> The true nature of people is glimpsed during this

> time.

You know what they say Steve...Where this is a Will there is a Relative...

[LegalEagle-ish]

This all presupposes you have anything to put in a will!

[computedshorty]

?

[PeckhamRose]

I have not got any money really, but taking LegalEagle's point, I would say I did say who could have the motorcycles and my better stuff, and also what form my funeral should take. Oh and it states who gets the flat. I have always been aware of death! Never waste a day. Easier said than done, but I am writing this from Newcastle - middle of a 2 week road trip and mostly small towns, but never been to Newcastle before and very lovely it is too. Psychologically speaking I think it's about time this taboo of death was indeed smashed. We're gunna DIE!!!!!!!!

[siousxiesue]

.

[The Chair]

Please stay on topic people. This thread is not about the ins and outs of making a will.

[fractionater]

My father passed away from Cancer just over a month ago (he was only 62), I am currently going through the probate process.

My advice to all out there is to sort a will out asap if you have any dependents (not matter what your age).

It doesn't take long to do and it will save a lot of hassel for those that are left behind to handle your estate.

Fortunately, my father had completed his will...and it makes the probate process a lot simpler to.

The other benefit from having the will (which was mentioned in a previous post), is that it makes claims on the estate pretty much water tight, and difficult for a relative to claim that (s)he was supposed to inherit something of value.

[angetastic]

.

[Townleygreen]

I know I made a will once our first child was born.

It would be irresponsible not to do this - I felt - in case my wife and I were run over by a 176 in LL.

Didn't make me feel I was reaching the end at all. Just the responsible thing to do I suppose.

[PeckhamRose]

That's a really nice/interesting thing you wrote there, Angetastic. Great comfort indeed.

I remember a similar situation where a mother who had to organise her daughter's funeral found out she had monthly payments to charities which her mother knew nothing about, and had willed money to a friend, and these helped her greatly to know more about her daughter than she otherwise might ever have done, despite the great sadness.

I would say that the answer to the topic's question for me personally, is 'no' it does not signal the end, it makes it easier in a way because you know you have made life a bit easier for those who have to deal with all your stuff. It's doing something impotrant to save other people having to do it when they're least able. Tidying the desk of your life.

[AuraCaught]

A year after being diaagnosed with a terminal illness I realised that I still hadn't made a valid will!! I know it sounds ridiculous but I've had a wonderful & busy year. My best friend & I realised that what we had was far more than friendship, so we became civil partners. The day itself was fantastic, both for us and everyone who came too. My partner was 40 a couple of months ago, so we threw a huge party with nearly 200 guests, who we realised we love to bits & to whom, we realised we mean so much. I have spent the year (well between 6 weeks of radio & 6 months of chemo) contacting people I had lost touch with. Just weeks after contacting a childhood friend, he was killed in a road traffic accident, I am so glad I had been in touch with him & realised how lucky I have been. Being told that my brain tumour was back led me to a solicitor on the same day. My will is made, I have decided what to do with my earthly goods & I have bought the plot next to my chilhood friend in the garden of remembrance where his ashes are buried. I don't feel closer to death for doing these things, that is out of my hands, but I feel more settled and content. Amazingly, I have always had a valid will in place/ except since my partner & I became civil partners. I don't know why I delayed..... I'll let the phsycologists amongst you decide.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

You don't need analysing, AuraCaught - that was one of the most exquisitely written posts I've ever read.

[SteveT]

AuraCaught wrote:- I feel more settled and content.

A very difficult and indeed depressing subject, covered in a gentle sweet-natured kind of way. Good for you AC it was heart lifting to read.

[PeckhamRose]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

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> You don't need analysing, AuraCaught - that was

> one of the most exquisitely written posts I've

> ever read.

Agreed!. Too much analysing going on. You just DID stuff. Best wishes!

[daizie]

Yes, bloody good for you AuraCaught! a lot of love x