June 2011 Archives

1.) Your new best friend probably has social issues;

2.)  Your new best friend probably has health issues, possibly that went undetected and have caused permanent damage;

3.)   Your new best friend is probably afraid to be left alone;

4.)  Your new best friend has habits he/she learned while being transferred from original home to shelter to final rescue site;

5.)  Your new best friend may have dietary issues;

6.)  It is hard to figure out what toys or recreational activities your new best friend enjoys?

7.)  By the time you figure out the above 6, it is too late, you love your new best friend too much to do anything about it;

8.)  The rescue staff do not want your new best friend to be returned to them and all of a sudden have very strong personalities - that weren't present on the day you adopted your new best friend;

9.)  You feel like a heel for even thinking of giving back your new best friend;

10.)  You will put up with more "nonsense" from your new best friend than you would from your family or human friends.

Now is a good time to update your will and add/remove names, assets, policies and beneficiaries.  In fact, just as we all change our CO2 and Smoke Alarm batteries in October, we should have a national Update Your Estate Month in June or July.

Kids are getting out of school, custodial plans are being made, vacation days are available, Father's Day is just around the corner - isn't this a good time to safeguard your family by updating your will and perhaps including a genetic DNA Profile.  Safeguarding your DNA Profile will insure that no heretofore unknown relative pops up as the will is being executed.  You can designate a family member or the executor of your will to have access to your DNA profile, should the need arise.  A certificate bearing your name and the authorized person who can access your DNA profile can be attached to  your will.  At the time of your death, everyone will know that a DNA profile is available to remove any doubts or family rumors.  A myth often heard when working with the funeral homes is that you can use a lock of hair to create a genetic profile - not true unless that lock of hair is about as thick as an eraser head and about one inch long and includes the root or follicle.  Otherwise, a lab will not be able to obtain the necessary genetic markers to create a profile.

In case any of the following events have taken place, since your will was created, it is a good excuse to update the will and include the DNA profile at the same time.  Did anyone get married and/or divorced that is named in your will?  Did anyone in your will give birth to a child or possibly adopt a child that needs to be named in your will?  Has there been any deaths of beneficiaries that are named in your will?  Pension plans and 401K or 403Bs, health insurance policies, favorite charities - all have elected beneficiary - have you updated yours to include all new families members? 

Often times, a disgruntled sibling will debate whether another family member is entitled to any inheritance and can delay distributions for years.  We have all passed by homes that were once magnificient but have been left to decay because of estate matters.  If you have a DNA Profile included with your will, there can be no question as to who is your biological relative.  Of course, not all wills are written with only biological relatives - naturally this blog is about biological relatives and identification via non-invasive DNA test.

Finally, it is not difficult or time consuming to set up your will.  There are several on-line sites that allow you to download a will.  You can complete a will in the privacy of your home and then bring it to your local notary for signature.  Or, if your assets are that large, using the expertise of a local estate attorney is probably the best method.  However you chose to let your loved ones know that you cared enough to write it down, a DNA profile is just the 21st gold standard in identification and simple enough to accomplish.