And the vultures descend

as soon as money is involved.

There is a story in the paper this morning about a young priest getting a $2m inheritance from an elderly woman and the usual concerns about an "abuse trust" and more. It is always an issue, even when there is nothing amiss. I don't know what the situation is in the case being reported as I know no more than has been reported.

I have however come across more than one case of concern. In one instance the person who should have got the least was the one who got the most. The will was very carefully and professionally drawn up. The testator made it quite plain why that person was getting less than other members of the family. (She had already received more than other members of the family while the testator was living.) It should have been an end of the matter but that person fought and won and ended up with a larger share than anyone else through a series of legal quirks. Her only son now uses the money to indulge himself.

There was also someone the Senior Cat knew. He befriended an old woman and did a lot for her. She left him a substantial sum and her relatives, who never had any contact with her, fought that. They did not win but the sum he should have got was greatly eroded. He did put it to good use and ended up being very wealthy. On his death the money went to a number of good causes because he had no family.

The Senior Cat's cousin's will also caused problems. He was also a wealthy man. (He invented a process which is used in the aircraft industry and elsewhere.) He left nothing to his blood relatives and they have not fought it. But his "girlfriend", a woman who refused to marry him, is fighting his will. She didn't live with him but claims he considered her to be "family" and that he treated her and her children as "family". The matter is not yet concluded but the rest of us are hoping that the charities he named will still be the beneficiaries. 

And recently I came across a quiet young man who was stunned to inherit something from a man who appeared occasionally in the second hand business in which the young man works. 

"Cat, I didn't really know this guy. I mean we chatted a bit and I did find some stuff he was looking for but I didn't know him - not properly."

I know what he means. He feels uncomfortable. There are questions being raised about that will too. He doesn't want to fight it. His attitude was "they can have it if they want it". So I said to him, "If they weren't fighting about it would you feel differently? You can't say no to it - what are you going to do with it? I know what T... thought you might want to do."

He looked at me in absolute amazement. "Did he talk to you?" All I could do was say, "He mentioned it in passing. I'd put that paper work in if I were you. I'd tell the solicitor what you want to do with the money."

This young man has not been able to go to university. He has the qualifications but his family circumstances have conspired against it. He could go now. There is even a chance he could still get into the course he wants to do as a late applicant - because the university knows about his circumstances. I know the court is going to be sympathetic. 

The vultures might have descended. They might even be circling but they are not going to take everything they want.