Reply #5: I'd say more in a state of denial... [View All]

People don't update (or make) wills usually because they can't handle truly facing their own mortality. I would assume that Mr. Brown had a very good lawyer in earlier years who stayed on top of his changing legal situation and made him do the things he needed to do, including updating his will. It's likely that whomever is in charge of his legal situation in the past decade (since he's been out of bankruptcy) wasn't as proactive, and most people just don't think about wills and estate planning if they can help it.

Sad for the little one and his widow. I hope that the other children do the right thing and separate the estate eight ways, putting one in trust for the kid and letting his mom live off of the other eighth. But where money's involved, there's little hope of people doing the right thing, and the will always brings out the hidden resentments.