Figured it was about time we changed the heading. The thread drifted
considerably, and I am definitely one of the guilty parties.
As Doug says, putting it in your Will is the most secure method. Otherwise if
family members do not share the interest in the slightest, they may listen and
agree just to humour the old guy, and then do as they please afterward. This
is perhaps more likely with the "lone wolf" type of collector with somewhat
distant family having no exposure to our rather uncommon hobby. Unfortunately
a Will is unlikely to be consulted in the upheaval of moving Uncle Abe out of
his house and into a dementia ward due to Alzheimers.
The catch when drawing up the Will is that you have to define fairly precisely
what you want to occur. Vague motherhood phrasing is not appropriate.
Photographs, documents, artifacts, books and models may have different
directions, and the Executor(trix) should be able to differentiate between the
categories. A separate sheet (not part of the Will itself) listing your
interpretation of the categories with at least a rough inventory would be of
enormous help. If they are to go to a specific person, include provision in
case he predeceases you. This is a case where you should do the initial draft
of that clause(s) of the Will, and then work with the lawyer to rephrase
correctly into legal language.
John
--- In cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Steve Lucas" <stevelucas3@...> wrote:
Guilty as charged. I should make my intentions clearer with MY fmaily. Even
the lawyer that drew up my will (a friend of my wife's family) didn't know
what to do about my railway artefact collecttion. So he left it out.
This discussion has raised a few red flags, and hopefully not just to me.
Steve Lucas.
--- In cpsig@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Doug Cummings" <DougCummings@> wrote:
And it equally important to make sure they know where it is NOT to go. That
can, in some cases, be just as bad or worse than being thrown in the trash.
Putting it in your will is the best way to make your wishes known.
Doug
How many of us have made it PERFECTLY CLEAR to our families what to do with
our stuff when the inevitable happens?
Even if I haven't designated where it goes, my wife and kids understand that
it all has (at least some) historical value and a happy home needs to be
found for it.
Dean Ogle
They may have "good reasons" for not sharing, but I think an awful lot gets
lost when descendants who have no connection with railways clear out
Grandfather's or Uncle's house. Tired furniture and dishes to the goodwill
store, a few obvious family relics kept, and everything else in the
dumpster.
