Kiplinger
By Adam Shell
June 24th, 2026
These “wills gone wild” may be extreme examples of poor estate planning, but experts explain how easily a will can go to the dogs (or cats)…
“Did you say my mom mistakenly left $3.5 million to the veterinarian who cared for her favorite feline?”
“You’re telling me Dad’s brother took a $500,000 insurance policy meant for me?”
No one wants to leave a financial mess for heirs after they’re gone. But as these real-life examples illustrate, bizarre things can happen if estate planning must-haves like a will or trust are nowhere to be found after you pass.
Assets can end up in the strangest places and with dubious heirs if the deceased botched key estate planning documents. Or failed to update a will after getting remarried or deciding to cut out an estranged child. Or bungled a do-it-yourself online will.
