August 27th, 2025. Well it’s time to add to my blog. Seems like the Covid ordeal put a damper on posting. This blog post is about disinheritance actions. I can say very honestly that this subject is one of the most controversial consulting areas in my legal documents practice. When I am hired to draft legal documents in estate planning that limit or completely disinherit a child or grandchild, my heart starts beating faster. I have had to do it a lot over my long career and it never sets well with me. However, the dictate to create terms of disinheritance for offspring does have value in the estate planning arena.

Perhaps, more and more children, grandchildren in the past few decades have gone against the wishes of their parents or grandparents and acted in ways, (including inactions as well) that did not please the estate client who after much deliberation, has come down to dictating this legal move to remind them, after the death, that there was a cost to pay for certain habits, actions, in-actions, harmfully spoken words in anger never recalled, abandonment of visiting, etc.

I hate to see the “hammer” come down this way after a client dies, but they are in charge at the time they draft and they have their reasons to restrict or eliminate certain beneficiaries, normally their own children, who they are unhappy about their lifestyle, habits, that have hurt the estate owner/s. So it is a way to remind after a death, the true cost of their actions. (or inactions) If this is something you are exploring, I have a lot of experience in drafting legal documents (Wills, Trusts) that will help carry out your wishes to disinherit someone. Smart attorneys can contest the provisions and try to prove a “senior” was not at full mental capacity when the disinheritance clauses were drafted. Or try to prove in a formal “contest” court filing they simply forgot them.

Just know, as much as I hate doing these, I have studied for years the best terms to draft so that the decision does not get amended by a Judge in a formal court contest filing. Since 2009, Arizona trust code law is pretty liberal in this area compared to other states (such as my home state of Iowa who will let a Judge disinherit you if you even get mad at a Executor or Trustee), as it takes a formal “contest” court procedure here in Arizona and an extremely clear and egregious situation in order to lose your share of an estate you were named a beneficiary (heir) of.

I close in saying the wording in Wills and Trusts will normally in most states contain language that you are to be treated as if you (and perhaps all of your offspring) are to be treated as if you pre-deceased the descendent. I tell clients that in honest frank language, (without practicing law of course), that this pretty well means you are “dead” to the parent who disinherited you and thus, not able to get any share. Leaving other siblings to redivide the money and assets amongst themselves right in front of your eyes. (legally dead, personally very much alive).

A free 15 minute conference by Zoom or in person can discuss the general legal information pertaining to drafting such a provision in your Will or Trust with me. Call me at 1-800-782-2806 or email me at mdanderson@webfsi.com

I hope and pray this blog post does not apply to you!

M.D. Anderson

Brave Face

Remembering 9/11…

I see so many posts on social media about 9/11, today being the anniversary of this direct strike of evil put upon our land that is still taking lives. First responder fire fighters and police. But also common citizens who stepped up to help not just that day, but for weeks and months later. Even now, some are dying early from the compounds they breathed or were exposed to in 2001.Some gave some and some gave all as they say. For that, I say thank you for all you did. And God bless the survivors and their families.

Today, we remember what happened 17 years ago. Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello wrote “My Brave Face” years before Paul lost his wife Linda. Many feel that even though the song may allude to a woman who “left” and did not die, the destruction and sadness of sudden loss is so apparent in an otherwise “upbeat” song Paul released, being one of the last of his songs to make the top 100.

But as I researched the lyric words for this blog entry, I was surprised to discover the words were different than what I had heard in my head over the years listening to the song in the album “Flowers in the Dirt”. Paul was singing “… I can't find my brave face,”. I always thought that the lyric was “I can find my brave face”. The reality makes the words of the song sink in further to show just how hard it is for humans to lose another human they love. And my pet loving clients and friends may also relate to the loss of a pet as being applicable to the words of this song as well.

So, I won’t play the actual music or link to it. Just think of who you have lost or what you have lost that caused grief and much pain and see if you can relate to what the words are saying. If you are still hurting, I hope you CAN FIND your brave face soon.

M.D. Anderson

My Brave Face

Paul McCartney

My brave, my brave, my brave face

I've been living in style,
Unaccustomed as I am
To the luxury life,
I've been hitting the town
And it didn't hit back

I've been doing the rounds
Unaccustomed as I am
To the time on my hands,
Now I don't have to tell anybody
When I'm going to get back

Ever since you went away
I've had this sentimental inclination
Not to change a single thing
As I pull the sheet back on the bed,
I want to go bury my head
In your pillow

Now that I'm alone again
I can't stop breaking down again
The simplest things set me off again
And take me to that place

Where I can't find my brave face,
Where I can't find my brave face,
My brave, my brave, my brave face
My brave face

I've been living a lie
Unaccustomed as I am
To the work of a housewife,
I've been breaking up
Dirty dishes and throwing them away

Ever since you left I have been trying to
Compose a 'baby will you please come home' note
Meant for you
As I clear away another
Untouched t.v. dinner
From the table, I laid for two

Now that I'm alone again
I can't stop breaking down again
The simplest things set me off again
And take me to that place

Where I can't find my brave face,
Where I can't find my brave face,
My brave, my brave, my brave face
My brave face

Songwriters: Elvis Costello / Paul Mccartney

Death & GrievingMichael AndersonSeptember 11, 2018Financial Strategies, Inc.9/11, My Brave FaceComment

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Brave Face

Remembering 9/11…

My Brave Face

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