Touching, angry tales from world of wills

Whether the stories are touching or horrifying, he says, they can be instructive for people who are planning the disposition of their estates. And Les says he has seen more interest in such planning since the economy turned sour.

"With the recession happening, there are a lot of kids moving back home," he says.

"I was on a (radio) show where a woman calls me up and says, 'You've got to warn all parents out there about their own children.' … You've got to be careful."

Les says the book may serve as a wake-up call for people.

"Secrecy is not golden," he says. "Talk to your kids. Talk to your parents. Get these things worked out now. … And do the proper documents. Understand what these things mean."

Les says people who want to buy a copy of the book can call 877-439-3999 or go online to www.inheritancestories.com.

And whatever else you do, plan now to make sure your own experiences are more touching than scary.

If you have a comment or question about estate planning or a different personal finance issue, send it to gkratz@desnews.com or to the Deseret News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110.

E-MAIL: gkratz@desnews.com