PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
201 Townepark Circle, Ste B-1 Louisville, KY 40243 FOLLOW US!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 A Smart Start to 2026 2 Why Intentions Matter in Estate Planning Women Who’ve Made Millions 3 Economics Made Easy Slow Cooker Birria Tacos 4 The Strangest Inheritances on Record
When Wills Get Weird Final Wishes That Raised Eyebrows
Money and property are typically the first things that come to mind when we think about a will. And while most are straightforward, some final wishes leave behind a story that’s stranger than fiction. Looking at some of the oddest inheritances ever recorded reveals more personality than practicality. Take Blackie the cat. When British antique dealer Ben Rea passed away, his family was probably more than disappointed to learn that he had left his entire fortune (nearly £7 million) to his beloved pet. That decision made headlines everywhere and turned Blackie into the richest cat in the world.
Canada gave us the “Great Stork Derby.” In 1926, an attorney named Charles Vance Millar launched a bizarre contest by leaving money to the Toronto woman who had the most children in the decade following his death. The result was a citywide baby boom and years of courtroom battles as families fought over the inheritance.
Some wills came with mystery. One wealthy businessman left a coded message among his papers that pointed to buried riches. His heirs initially thought it was a joke, but after looking into it, they uncovered buried treasure worth millions. Of course, these stories are far from the norm. Most wills won’t fund banquets for the dead, start a baby boom, or turn a cat into a millionaire. Still, these strange requests show that estate planning is a personal process, and final wishes aren’t always about money.
Then there’s the story of John Bowman from Vermont. He believed in reincarnation and was convinced he and his family would return in another life. Not wanting to come back from the dead without the luxuries he was used to, Bowman set up a trust to keep his mansion staffed and ready for his family’s arrival. For decades, mansion staff prepared meals and kept up the
house in case the Bowmans walked through the door. The ritual continued for over 70 years before the funds finally ran out.
4 ∙ Roberts.cpa
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator