Kyle_in_Tex
Super Star Member
Recently, I was speaking with some fellow TBN'ers, and the wife told me if she outlives her husband, she is moving back to the city. They have no children. I can't say I blame her. Taking care of the place would be a huge ordeal, having to try and hire out all the rigorous upkeep tasks.
It got me to thinking about my situation. I have 3 young children, 10,7, and 5 (started fatherhood at a ripe age of 45). I have told my wife that if I should die in the next few years, that she should move back into town on a normal sized lot. She told me if she just had to mow grass with a riding lawn mower, she would try to handle that. I told her she could hire out the mowing of our fields for a reasonable fee, but that there are far more arduous tasks that neither she or my kids could do. If the good Lord lets me live another 15 or more years, I might be able to pass on some knowledge to my kids so that they can take care of the place. The problem is, there are not many opportunities for jobs in our town. Most kids graduate high school, go to college, and then move to the bigger cities to get a job. I think they call it "brain drain". There they live until they retire and some come back home.
My best friend just got the news that he has a growth on his kidney. They are going to remove the kidney in a few weeks. He is 51. His dad died from cancer at 55. We are praying that the cancer hasn't spread. He has about 60 acres, a huge barn full of stuff, and an old home. He has 2 step-children, 17 and 21 that are good kids, but need prodding to do their tasks. His daughter is more loving than his son. He is worried that if he passes, they'll just spend all the money and be broke in a couple of years. He went and added me and his mother to his will, asking us to handle the situation and dole out the money to the kids in annual payments. I would guess his total estate value to be well in excess of a half million dollars.
I know many of you are getting up there in years too, and I wonder if you have plans.
It got me to thinking about my situation. I have 3 young children, 10,7, and 5 (started fatherhood at a ripe age of 45). I have told my wife that if I should die in the next few years, that she should move back into town on a normal sized lot. She told me if she just had to mow grass with a riding lawn mower, she would try to handle that. I told her she could hire out the mowing of our fields for a reasonable fee, but that there are far more arduous tasks that neither she or my kids could do. If the good Lord lets me live another 15 or more years, I might be able to pass on some knowledge to my kids so that they can take care of the place. The problem is, there are not many opportunities for jobs in our town. Most kids graduate high school, go to college, and then move to the bigger cities to get a job. I think they call it "brain drain". There they live until they retire and some come back home.
My best friend just got the news that he has a growth on his kidney. They are going to remove the kidney in a few weeks. He is 51. His dad died from cancer at 55. We are praying that the cancer hasn't spread. He has about 60 acres, a huge barn full of stuff, and an old home. He has 2 step-children, 17 and 21 that are good kids, but need prodding to do their tasks. His daughter is more loving than his son. He is worried that if he passes, they'll just spend all the money and be broke in a couple of years. He went and added me and his mother to his will, asking us to handle the situation and dole out the money to the kids in annual payments. I would guess his total estate value to be well in excess of a half million dollars.
I know many of you are getting up there in years too, and I wonder if you have plans.
