When you think about a will, you’ll likely imagine it written and safely tucked away in a fireproof safe or with a will storage company. However, many people have had far more unusual ideas on where and how to store their will. Many of these unusual cases highlight the importance of making a legally valid will and ensuring it can be easily found after death. This blog looks at some strange places where wills have been found.
Ostrich Egg
An ostrich egg was at the centre of a very well-known probate case involving a pilot named John Barnes. He decided to write his last words on an egg’s shell. Sadly for his heirs, the court agreed that, even if the intent and emotion were clear, an eggshell didn’t meet the legal criteria for a valid will.
Engraved on a Tractor
A farmer named Cecil George Harris became stuck beneath his tractor, and as he started to fear his time was up, he decided to carve his will into the tractor’s fender with a pocketknife, writing, “In case I die in this mess, I leave all to the wife.” The court actually recognised the tractor fender as a valid will, since the “document” was irrevocable and unambiguously expressed his last wishes.
Piano
People often try to hide their wills in clever places, but really, all they are doing is making it harder for their loved ones to find them after they pass away. Another example of this is multiple cases in the UK where wills have been found inside the vintage pianos decades later. These are often only discovered after the instrument is sold or sent for tuning, which triggers a frenzied “heir hunt” to find family who were unaware of their inheritance.
Freezer
It may surprise you to learn that the kitchen freezer is a very common “safe spot.” Some people think that putting valuable documents in the freezer will keep them safe from fire. Although the reasoning makes some sense, it usually results in a relative searching for a bag of peas rather than a lawyer finding the will. The outcome? A document so wet and frostbitten that it needs to be professionally restored to be readable.
Why Storing a Will Safely is Important
While these stories are entertaining, they certainly shouldn’t inspire you to store your will. If a valid will is not located during probate, the Rules of Intestacy will determine how the estate is distributed, and this is unlikely to be the same as the wishes expressed in the lost or hidden will. This is why storing your will securely and registering its location with Willfinda is the best way to ensure your estate is distributed accordingly.
