From disowning a child to secretly leaving everything to a complete stranger, wills often reveal unexpected twists that shock family members after a person’s passing. In some cases, people even use their last wishes as a final act of revenge.
Reddit users shared some of the most surprising and bizarre things people have written in their wills—many of which their families never saw coming.
1. The Unexpected Trust Fund
u/scarlett_pimpernel: As a qualified solicitor, I once had a client who wanted to create a £100,000 trust fund—for her pet fish.
When I asked if it was a rare or special breed, she clarified that it was just an ordinary goldfish.
Her instructions were specific: the fish was to be fed fresh avocado daily and cared for by a local dog walker after her passing. She was completely serious.
2. A Secret No One Knew
u/scarlett_pimpernel: Another woman revealed a secret she had kept from her entire family—she had a hidden daughter.
She wanted to leave this daughter money and photographs but insisted that no one in her family—not even her husband—find out.
That will surely lead to an interesting conversation after she passes away.
3. The Lucky Bus Driver
u/mommy5dearest: I worked at an attorney’s office where an elderly woman left her house and belongings to…her bus driver.
She did it simply because he was kind to her and always helped her out.
We were all expecting chaos when her family found out, but legally, they could only contest it under certain conditions. Since I witnessed the signing, I could confirm she was mentally sound when she made the decision.
4. A Will With a Sense of Humor
u/WanderCold: I was in my early twenties when I was required to write a will due to my job’s health insurance policy.
After discussing with the in-house lawyer, I added a specific clause:
“My funeral wishes are that I should be buried in a coffin that has been spring-loaded, so that if future archaeologists open it, they will be alarmed.”
I also included a section stating that if this was too expensive, I should simply be cremated and have my ashes scattered in a chosen location.
5. A Horse’s Fate
u/gabberrella24: I work in probate law, and one of the strangest wills I’ve encountered demanded that a horse be euthanized, cremated, and its ashes scattered alongside the deceased.
Luckily for the horse, the owner mistakenly named a horse that had already died. The horse she owned at the time of her death got to live happily on another farm.
6. Strange Will Requests
u/PirateRobotNinjaofDe: People love to send their loved ones on bizarre tasks after their passing.
Some leave money for their friends and family to travel and scatter their ashes in different places.
Others create huge trust funds for their pets, ensuring their animals are well taken care of.
My personal favorite? A lawyer left his entire fortune (equivalent to millions today) to the Toronto woman who had the most children at a specific date. The winner had 10 kids.
7. A Grandfather’s Business Tactic
u/snoboreddotcom: A few hours after my grandfather’s passing, my grandmother handed me a ridiculous navy-blue tie covered in pink elephants.
She explained:
“Your grandfather wore this to intimidate people in business. Anyone bold enough to wear such a ridiculous tie clearly doesn’t care what others think. That scares people. He wanted you to have it.”
8. Unusual Conditions for Inheritance
u/ALighterShadeOfPale: I’ve seen some strange conditions attached to wills.
One mother stated that her first son would only receive his inheritance if he went to a dentist.
The second son was required to lose 70 pounds before he could claim his share.
Another woman insisted that her cats be cremated with her, but when told human and animal remains couldn’t be cremated together, she settled for their ashes being mixed and buried together.
9. A 56-Page Will
u/ALighterShadeOfPale: While most wills are about 10 pages long, one woman went to extreme detail—writing a 56-page document.
She listed every single item in her house and who would inherit it, down to a wooden ladle, a toilet paper holder, and a magazine basket.
10. The Illegal Burial Request
u/ALighterShadeOfPale: A woman requested to be buried on her rural property next to her husband.
However, burying human remains there was illegal. When asked about her husband’s burial, she refused to answer whether he had been cremated or if his remains were also illegally buried on the property.
11. The Zoo Visit Request
u/ALighterShadeOfPale: One man wrote in his will that his family must visit the zoo immediately after his burial—on the same day.
It was surprisingly heartwarming.
Additionally, many of our clients donate 90% of their estates to their church, rather than to their families.
12. The Elvis Impersonator
u/whatshisfaceboy: My wealthy uncle barely visited us—maybe once every ten years.
When he passed away, we found out he left everything to an Elvis impersonator.
13. A Shocking Inheritance
u/AnotherDrunkCanadian: At my old job at a bank, I handled a multi-million-dollar trust left for a single beneficiary—the deceased’s son.
It looked normal until I discovered the son had been responsible for his parents’ deaths.
Declared insane, he was placed in a mental institution. He would call once a year, asking for $50 for commissary—just enough to buy chips and gum.
His voice was always oddly distant, like he was speaking from far away.
14. The Parents Who Took Revenge
u/Dr_BrOneil: A couple left their millions in artwork to strangers and cash to charities.
Their children? They inherited…the family cats.
This was their revenge, as the kids had forced them to keep the cats for companionship in their old age—even though they hated them.
15. The Ultimate Payback
u/gaurddog: My great-uncle hated the City Council for trying to seize his land twice to build a water treatment plant.
His will? It donated the contents of his outhouse to the City Council as a final gift.
His kids, embracing the joke, packed up all the books and magazines from the outhouse and delivered them to City Hall.
16. The Taxi Driver’s Surprise
u/[deleted]: One of our earliest clients left nearly everything—including a considerable estate—to her regular taxi driver.
He had no idea.
The previous two wills named her close friend as the main beneficiary, so the friend was shocked and contested the will.
After a legal review, the taxi driver remained the rightful heir, while the friend only received £5,000.
17. The Hidden Fortune
Deleted user: My grandma lived in a run-down trailer, and my husband was convinced she was secretly wealthy.
When she passed, he was thrilled, thinking we’d hit Easy Street.
At the will reading, the lawyer announced:
“The hidden fortune will be given only if the husband meets three conditions.
First, live in the trailer for a year, with no upgrades or help.
Second, volunteer at an animal shelter every weekend for two years.
Third, write an essay on humility and compassion, to be read at the shelter’s annual fundraiser.”
My husband’s excitement turned into pure shock. Grandma knew exactly how to teach a lesson from beyond the grave.
These Reddit stories prove that being mentioned in someone’s will can change your life—for better or worse. What’s the strangest will you’ve ever heard of? We’d love to know!