From disowning a child to leaving fortunes to strangers, wills can sometimes contain the most unexpected and baffling provisions. Often written during moments of reflection, these final documents decide the fate of one’s assets and legacy. While many wills follow a straightforward path, some take shocking turns that leave families stunned and legal professionals scratching their heads. Here are some of the most bizarre and unexpected things people have included in their wills, as shared by users on various online forums like Reddit.
1. A Trust Fund for a Pet Fish
u/scarlett_pimpernel: As a qualified solicitor, I’ve come across some peculiar cases. One that stands out is a lady who wanted to create a trust fund of £100,000 for her pet goldfish. When I inquired about the specifics, she confirmed it was just an ordinary goldfish. Her stipulations were equally unusual: the fish must be fed fresh avocado daily and cared for by a local dog walker after her demise. She was absolutely serious about these conditions.
2. Secret Daughter Beneficiary
u/scarlett_pimpernel: Another striking case involved a woman who confessed she had a secret daughter and chose to leave her inheritance and photographs exclusively to this daughter, completely excluding the rest of her family. Even her husband was unaware of the daughter’s existence. This revelation led to shocking family confrontations when the will was executed.
3. Luxury SUV for a Bus Driver
u/mommy5dearest: While working at an attorney’s office, I encountered an older lady who left her house and belongings to a bus driver she had never met but admired for his kindness. Her family was outraged and contested the will, believing Bryan had exploited her generosity. However, the evidence showed that the bus driver had genuinely helped her during her final days, making the bequest a heartfelt gesture rather than an act of manipulation.
4. Springloaded Coffin Clause
u/WanderCold: In my early twenties, I was forced to draft a will for a client with some unique requests. She included a clause stating, “My funeral wishes are that I should be buried in a coffin which has been springloaded, such that opening the coffin would cause alarm to future archaeologists.” Additionally, she specified that if this was too costly, she preferred cremation with her ashes scattered in a specific location. This whimsical request left both legal experts and her family bewildered.
5. Euthanizing a Beloved Horse
u/gabberrella24: In probate work, I’ve seen a will that instructed the euthanasia and cremation of a beloved horse, with its ashes to be scattered alongside the owner’s remains. Fortunately, the horse named in the will had already passed away, sparing another animal from such a fate. This case highlighted the sometimes harsh realities of final wishes clashing with the living’s responsibilities.
6. Conditional Inheritance for Weight Loss and Dental Visits
u/PirateRobotNinjaofDe: Our law firm has handled some unusual wills. One client specified that one of her adult sons would receive his inheritance only if he visited a dentist regularly, while the other son would inherit his share upon losing 70 pounds. Another client insisted that her cats be cremated separately but together before being buried, as human and animal remains cannot be cremated together. These conditions often lead to complicated legal battles and strained family relationships.
7. Hidden Fortune to a Taxi Driver
Deleted user: My grandma, bless her heart, lived in an old, run-down trailer for years. Dirt poor, but you wouldn’t know it by how my husband acted. He was like a cat on a hot tin roof, waiting for her to pass. He had this wild notion that grandma was sitting on a hidden fortune and that he’d inherit a ticket to Easy Street when she kicked the bucket. Come the will reading day, he was practically rubbing his hands together, telling me, “Sugar, put on a smile, we’re about to be rolling in dough.” But then the lawyer revealed that the will stated the hidden fortune would go to the husband only if he fulfilled three specific conditions. Otherwise, the entire estate would go to the local animal shelter. My husband’s face turned from greedy anticipation to utter disbelief. Grandma sure knew how to teach a lesson from beyond the grave!
8. Unique Inheritance Conditions
u/ALighterShadeOfPale: At our law firm, we’ve had clients include bizarre conditions in their wills. One woman left her estate to be divided based on her sons’ achievements: one would inherit his share if he visited a dentist regularly, and the other if he lost 70 pounds. Another insisted that her cats be cremated separately but then buried together. These unusual stipulations often lead to legal challenges and family disputes.
9. Extensive Itemized Bequests
u/AnotherDrunkCanadian: I worked at a bank handling estates, and one memorable case involved a woman who wrote a 56-page will detailing the inheritance of every single item in her house. From the wooden ladle to the toilet paper holder, each item was assigned to specific individuals. This level of detail made the will not only lengthy but also highly contentious among her family members, leading to prolonged legal battles.
10. Burial on Private Property Next to a Deceased Husband
u/ALighterShadeOfPale: A woman requested to be buried next to her deceased husband on their rural property. Despite the legal issues surrounding private burials, she insisted on this arrangement, leaving her family perplexed and concerned about the implications. Her refusal to specify whether her husband was cremated or not added to the confusion, especially since her husband had passed away several years prior.
11. Immediate Zoo Visit After Burial
u/Dr_BrOneil: One of the more heartwarming yet odd bequests involved a man who instructed his family to visit the zoo immediately after his burial. While some found this gesture endearing, others questioned its significance and the intentions behind it. Additionally, many people from specific religious backgrounds often leave a substantial portion of their estates to their churches instead of their families, adding another layer of complexity to estate planning.
12. Inheritance to an Elvis Impersonator
u/whatshisfaceboy: I heard about a wealthy uncle who left his entire estate to an Elvis impersonator. This unexpected bequest baffled his family and friends, highlighting his unique sense of humor and disregard for conventional inheritance norms. It raised questions about his intentions and the genuine nature of his relationships.
13. Single Beneficiary with Hidden Agenda
u/AnotherDrunkCanadian: At a bank where I worked, we encountered a multi-million-dollar trust intended for a single beneficiary—the son of the deceased. However, it was later revealed that he was behind his parents’ death and was declared insane. Confined to a mental hospital, he only requested small sums for basic needs, like commissary items. This case highlighted the complexities and potential for misuse in estate planning.
14. Revenge Through Pet Inheritance
u/Dr_BrOneil: Parents who were irritated by their children’s attachment to family cats decided to leave all their assets to charities while bequeathing the cats to their children as a form of indirect revenge. Despite the parents’ disdain for the pets, the children’s emotional attachment made it difficult for them to comply, leading to family tensions and legal disputes.
15. Outrageous Bequest to City Council
u/ALighterShadeOfPale: A man left the contents of his outhouse to the City Council after years of battling eminent domain claims. He wanted to give them something in return for their attempts to seize his land for a new water treatment plant. His children humorously fulfilled his wishes by boxing up all the books and magazines in the outhouse and delivering them to City Hall, symbolizing his quirky sense of justice.
16. Inheritance to a Taxi Driver with Legal Complications
u/[deleted]: One of our earlier clients left almost everything to her regular taxi driver, who was unaware of his new role as the primary beneficiary until after her passing. Her close friend, who had been the beneficiary in her previous wills, contested the new will. Despite the legal challenges, the court upheld the original will, recognizing the client’s clear intent despite the unusual beneficiary choice.
17. Hidden Fortune with Specific Conditions
Deleted user: My great-grandma lived in an old, run-down trailer for years. Despite her poverty, my husband acted as if she was sitting on a hidden fortune, believing he’d inherit it after her death. On the day of the will reading, the lawyer revealed that the fortune would only go to him if he fulfilled three specific conditions: live in her old trailer for a year without modern upgrades, volunteer at the local animal shelter every weekend for two years, and write a personal essay on humility and compassion to be read at the shelter’s annual fundraiser. Failure to meet these conditions meant the entire estate would go to the animal shelter. My husband was left in disbelief, realizing his grandmother had cleverly used her will to teach him a valuable lesson about humility and compassion.
Conclusion
These stories shared by Redditors and other online communities illustrate the vast range of possibilities when it comes to drafting a will. From heartfelt bequests to acts of revenge, wills can reveal much about a person’s true desires, relationships, and sense of humor. Whether driven by love, humor, or a desire for justice, these unexpected provisions serve as a reminder that the final testament can significantly impact the lives of those left behind.
Share Your Story
Have you come across any strange or unexpected clauses in a will? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below—we’d love to hear about the most unusual things people have included in their final wishes!
Disclaimer: The stories shared here are inspired by user-submitted content on online forums and have been edited for clarity and privacy. Names and identifying details have been changed to protect the individuals involved.
Summarized:
Wills are typically crafted during times of contemplation, as individuals determine the future of their belongings and the mark they wish to leave behind. Wills can sometimes include some pretty strange provisions, like trust funds set up for pet fish, secret beneficiaries who turn out to be daughters, luxury SUVs gifted to bus drivers, spring-loaded coffin clauses, and even plans for the euthanasia and cremation of cherished horses. There are also conditional inheritances tied to weight loss and dental visits, along with hidden fortunes left for taxi drivers.
There are instances where a woman wishes to set up a trust fund for her pet goldfish, ensuring that the fish receives fresh avocado every day and is looked after by a local dog walker once she passes away. In another situation, a woman reveals that she has a secret daughter and decides to leave her inheritance and photographs solely to this daughter, leaving the rest of her family out of the picture. This discovery sparked intense family confrontations when the will was put into action.
In another instance, an elderly woman decided to leave her home and possessions to a bus driver she had never personally met, yet she held a deep admiration for his kindness. Her family was furious and challenged the will, convinced that Bryan had taken advantage of her kindness. Yet, the evidence revealed that the bus driver truly supported her in her last days, turning the bequest into a sincere gesture instead of a manipulative act.
One more peculiar will features a stipulation that the deceased must be interred in a spring-loaded coffin, and if that proves too expensive, her ashes are to be scattered in a designated spot. This quirky request had both legal experts and her family scratching their heads in confusion.
A unique will specifies that a cherished horse should be euthanized and cremated, with its ashes to be scattered together with the owner’s remains. This situation brings to light the tough challenges that can arise when someone’s final wishes conflict with the obligations of those still living.
To wrap things up, wills often include surprising and perplexing clauses that can leave families in shock and legal experts puzzled.
The tales recounted by Reddit users and various online groups showcase the incredible variety of options available for creating a will. Wills can uncover a lot about a person’s genuine wishes, connections with others, and even their sense of humor, ranging from touching legacies to surprising acts of revenge. Whether fueled by love, humor, or a quest for justice, these surprising provisions remind us that a final testament can profoundly affect the lives of those who remain.
Here are a few unique bequests:
A woman decided to divide her estate according to her sons’ accomplishments: one son would receive his portion if he made regular trips to the dentist, while the other would inherit his share if he managed to shed 70 pounds. One person insisted that her cats should be cremated individually but then laid to rest together. These unexpected conditions frequently result in legal battles and conflicts within families.
A woman crafted a 56-page will, meticulously outlining the inheritance of each and every item in her home. The extensive detail in the will not only made it lengthy but also sparked significant disagreements among her family, resulting in drawn-out legal disputes.
A woman has asked to be laid to rest beside her late husband on their rural property. Even with the legal complications tied to private burials, she was adamant about going through with it, which left her family feeling confused and worried about what it might mean. Her unwillingness to clarify whether her husband had been cremated only deepened the confusion, particularly given that he had died several years ago.
A man asked his family to go to the zoo right after his burial. Some people thought this gesture was sweet, while others were skeptical about what it really meant and what the motives were behind it. Moreover, individuals from certain religious traditions frequently choose to bequeath a significant part of their estates to their churches rather than to their families, which introduces an additional layer of complexity to the process of estate planning.
A wealthy uncle left his entire estate to an Elvis impersonator, leaving his family and friends utterly baffled. This surprising decision showcased his unique sense of humor and his disregard for traditional inheritance norms.
6. Revenge Through Pet Inheritance: Some parents, feeling frustrated by their children’s strong bond with the family cats, chose to leave their entire estate to charities. In a twist of fate, they decided to pass the cats on to their children, serving as a clever form of indirect revenge. Even though the parents didn’t care for the pets, the kids’ strong bond with them made it hard to go along with their wishes, resulting in family conflicts and legal battles.
A man, after years of fighting against eminent domain claims, decided to leave the contents of his outhouse to the City Council as a final, outrageous gesture. His kids playfully carried out his wishes by packing up all the books and magazines from the outhouse and taking them to City Hall.
8. Concealed Wealth with Certain Requirements: An elderly great-grandma spent many years in a worn-out trailer, convinced that it would be passed down to her after she was gone. During the will reading, the lawyer disclosed that the inheritance would only be granted if he met three particular conditions: he must live in her old trailer for a year without any modern upgrades, volunteer at the local animal shelter every weekend for two years, and compose a personal essay on humility and compassion to be presented at the shelter’s annual fundraiser.
