Why make a will?
Let me tell you a story….and like Valmiki assume I can go across time from 1990 to 2050. Please remember time is the 4th dimension and at some point in human civilisation we will be able to do that.
Year 1990: You have graduated / settled and just got married.
Did you think of life insurance? perhaps, some agent cahsed you and u bought a LiC Moneyback plan.
Did you write a will? Ha u got to be joking….and after all nobody chased me.
Year 1992: father of a baby boy!
1993: Very happy, hit your first Million Rupees networth.
1995: Bought your house, outright. All cash wiped out, but no borrowing, owner of a house.
Did you think of making a will? Ha..no of course not.
2000: Touched Rs. 15 crores turnover, Profit after tax: Rs. 1 crore.
Make a will? Ha ha u got to be joking.
2004: Proud father of a baby girl!! wah wah…this is what you wanted. Lucky girl, father’s networth Rs. 8 crores, including house.
Make a will? Nah, why should I? My wife and son will not fight, and anyway I am no longer in my father’s business.
2011: Life is a dream…net worth Rs. 14 crores, excluding the bungalow that you bought for Rs. 4 crores in the suburb of Mumbai.
Make a will? Subra will you stop being pessimisstic about my life? I am going to live a million years more!! and my son just loves my daughter, and I do not think my wife will marry again. There is ENOUGH money for my daughter’s education and marriage, so I am surrendering all my life insurance policies, and NOT taking a term plan of Rs. 5 crores. My daughter is safe, do not worry.
2016: Died of a heart attack. Age 51. No dependents – son earning very well and can take care of the mother (owner of the bungalow now worth Rs. 5 crores) and son will take care of 12 year old sister. Son aged 24, owner of businesses and rental properties. Daughter vulnerable.
Well er, Subra, sorry did not make a will, but I am sure my son will pay for my daughter’s education and marriage, he will, no? after all I looked after my dad in his old age, did I not?
Subra: Hey Param, sure he will…but why the doubt, your kids will not fight, right?
2018: Son gets married to an angel…she is so sweet.
2020: Param’s wife has some kind of a mental and physical problem. Daughter Padma (aged 20) unable to stay with brother is now in a hostel. Mother completely brainwashed.
Param’s voice from heaven: Subra…maybe I should have made a will. I did not EXPECT my son / daughter in law to behave like this.
Subra: Yes Param, and your brother has beautifully ruined your daughter’s life…and she is struggling to make a living.
Param: Subra can you help?
Subra: in this fictitious case yes, I can go up and change the dates. In a real life situation, NO.
So get of your goddamn a….e and make your will you JERK. Today. Now.
PS: If your financial adviser cannot tell you this, in this BLOODY language and get you to act, he is not worth the money that you are paying him.
nix
totally agree with you. My friend told his dad to make a will, but he is shouting at him telling you dont want me to have long life? What kind of logic is this?..He just wants to explain him making a will would ensure no confusion later on.He just doesnt understand, he feels if he makes a WILL he will die..people like him are very emotional regarding making WILL etc.
subra
such a person should sleep with the front door open, right? if a door is being shut to keep the thief out – is it not a negative thought that a thief will come? emotions cannot be conquered with reason, cannot help such emotional fools.
subra
let me add. This is a real life story. I knew the man, know his son (he is a little younger than me) and know the kid daughter (she is about 22 years younger than me and was literally on the roads -abandoned by the brother….
God bless
bharat shah
fortunately i have habit of making wills from age of 35-37, not of mine, but spouse and other family members , as necessary, though frankly not having holding much wealth, thanks to shri a.n . shanbhag’s ‘in the wonderland of investment’. but i never get them registered, as i understand , it is not mandatory to do so.if wrong, kindly correct. moreover , i like to understand the meaning of ‘mutation’ in the following advice about its execution:
As per sec.57 of Indian Succession Act if the will is executed only at metro cities like bombay,madras and calcutta,the probate is required,otherwise probate is not required.
As rightly said will has to be probated if executed in Presidency towns, U can go for mutation basing on inheritance by will.
Banyan Financial Advisors
Hats off Subra – you have explained the importance of a will in the most simple form of language. Often people confuse Nomination with Will and in most cases, they don’t have any of the both. While a Will overrides a Nomination, the importance of Nomination should not be ignored in context of a Will. In most cases, a nominee and the beneficiary in a Will may be the same person. However, a Nomination shall ensure that the funds are transferred to the nominee without the requirement of court proceedings.
Regards
BanyanFA
Rajeev
It is very essential to make a will. Wife’s in India normally outlive their husbands. They get sheltered from finantial activities even if they are earning. Most transactions and activities are done by their husbands.
Best to leave all property and money to either or survivor between husband and wife with full right to do whatsoever the survivor wants. At the same time lay down a specific wish how to share the remaining property between the children after the death of both parents.
Wife should eb made aware of the total investments and made a joint owner of as many as possible.
It is not wise to keep things un clear and believe in your children’s good & supportive nature alone. Things can go wrong and do go wrong.
The last thing you need is that your end of days are spent with money wories or of your children fighting umong themselves for the scraps.
Regards
Ankur
Subra, I am of 44 years age. I had the intention of making will since quite some time but did not do due to probably laziness (many other good things to spend time on). Your this post and couple of other articles around same time did finally push me. I registered my will today. Writing in to say thank you!!
Suresh
An eye opener for many people like me.