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7 of the Weirdest and Funniest Last Will & Testaments

Several Wills and Last Testaments in the course of History of have Garnered Attention for Their Peculiarities.

  1. Jeremy Bentham: The British Bentham’s will can’t be overlooked in a list of strange last wishes. The philosopher requested that his body be dissected in front of his friends and then preserved. Today, his “auto-icon” (his dressed skeleton, topped with a wax replica of his head) is on display at University College London.

  2. Charles Vance Millar: A Canadian who left a portion of his estate to the Toronto woman who gave birth to the most children in the 10 years after his death, sparking the “Great Stork Derby.” Several women competed, with the prize ultimately being divided between six mothers who each had nine children.

  3. T.M. Zink: An Iowa attorney, Zink left $50,000 in a trust for 75 years with the stipulation that the funds be used to create a library where no women were allowed, and no books by female authors would be permitted. His own daughter was, rightfully, not pleased and after a legal battle, the will was declared void.

  4. Samuel Bratt: In a bid to get back at his wife who disliked tobacco, Bratt, an Englishman, left her £330,000, but only if she smoked five cigars a day.

  5. John Bowman: Believing that he, his wife, and daughter would be reincarnated together, Bowman left an endowment for his Vermont mansion to be maintained and for a dinner to be prepared every night just in case the family returned. This practice continued until the funds were depleted in the 1950s.

  6. Luis Carlos de Noronha Cabral da Camara: This Portuguese aristocrat picked 70 strangers from a phone book and left them his fortune.

  7. Gene Roddenberry: The creator of “Star Trek” specified that he wanted his ashes scattered in space. In 1997, some of his ashes were sent into space aboard a satellite.

These examples offer fascinating glimpse into the unique final wishes of individuals from various walks of life. They serve as a reminder that no inheritance can be too great, too small, or too weird.  With GetDynasty, you can be as traditional or strange as you’d like to be– get started here.

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What is a Trust?

A Living Trust is a financial tool that lets you plan, organize, and protect your life. It’s a personal entity that allows you to add assets and plan out your inheritance. Eliminating legal battles, cost, and time spent by your loved ones. 

Think of it like a personal LLC that you put everything you own in. Except it doesn’t protect you from liability like an LLC does, it protects you from probate and conservatorship. 

Probate is the complicated court process (12-18 months) where a judge decides what happens to your assets after you die, become incapacitated, or are “deemed” incapable. Creating a living trust allows your assets to completely circumvent probate and immediately transfer to your loved ones. 

In addition to being able to name heirs (your beneficiaries), a Trust also allows you to assign someone to manage it (your successor trustee). Instead of going through probate, your Successor Trustee takes control of the Trust, handles your affairs, and distributes your assets according to your instructions. The person you select as Successor Trustee should be your most trusted person. Like a best friend or closest family member.

At Dynasty, we believe everyone should have a Living Trust. If you have children, assets, or plan to acquire assets in the future, you should create a Trust. That way when you buy your next home, open a bank or brokerage account, get startup shares, etc. – you can immediately title them in your trust.