Where does it all go in the end?

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My hope is, to give my equipment to someone that will enjoy it. I appear to not be alone in not having a family member that would give it a new home.
 
This is a topic that requires serious conversation with spouses; specially for very expensive equipment and large music collections. Like other assets, having a good and detailed plan with written instructions would be very helpful to the surviving spouse/partner/family member.

My 2 cents.
 
Dan, there are a lot of aids that can help your wife in day to day things. Talking clocks, microwaves and the like, hand held or table top magnification devices, they use a camera to read the text and show it on a screen, you can adjust size color etc. There's websites with stuff I probably don't know exist. You can get money readers. If you haven't explored, phones have "accessibility" in settings, you can adjust the icons and different items, or, just have what's on the screen read by using a finger. She can still be independent if so desired. I have software on my computer to read.

You may know all that, but, if I can help, let me know.

jdandy said:
In the event that I should pass away before Marlene, I have left her a list of individuals who may be interested in my audio gear. She will most likely leave the living room system intact to maintain the look and feel of that room. The recording studio equipment, two channel studio sound system, and the home theater system represents money in the bank for her if she wishes to liquidate it. She can make that decision when the time comes.

My prayer is that I outlive Marlene so that I can continue to take care of her through her final day. She can no longer drive due to macular degeneration. I have been her chauffeur for the past five years due to her gradually failing eyesight. In addition, I am considerably more proficient at taking care of business and finances, maintaining this home and property, and handling any necessary repairs. It would be beneficial for Marlene that I outlive her. Either way, the inevitable faces all of us.
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I know a few guys who talk about "down sizing" the system at some point. I personally don't see a point in that. I'm with Sharp 2160, I want to enjoy my system to the end. On the other hand, I'll not say never, but I don't plan to buy another 100+ pound amp again, LOL
 
Well, I know my wife would not want to deal with the equipment as she has stated she has NO interest at all in dealing with my "audio stuff", including the HT system. My daughters are not interested although they love music and have already spoken for a couple of old Martins I have. Interesting though how easy it is to redirect my other hobbies, like my golf equipment to my son-in-law, my camera equipment to my younger daughter, all my fishing equipment to my brother. I guess "hi-end- audio equipment just doesn't interest the majority of people.
 
Depressing thread, I am going to find a younger forum:|

My 63 year old neighbor who looked 15 years younger and was the picture of health just died suddenly this week. That really brings home the point of this thread.
 
We never really own anything. We simply stand guard on it until we pass. All of us inevitably leave this Earth, everything else stays behind for the next guard.
 
As long as either my wife or I are alive, it is not an issue as she enjoys and uses our system as much as I do. However, I never thought of this question as to once we are both gone. I guess it is time to update our wills/trusts and/or at least figure out an order of operation as to who would derive enjoyment out of it and thus give it to them.
 
True, none of us really own anything. Someone else owns something else ...

We come we go, when we came we came nude, no passport, no cards, no nothing but a cable from the belly button plugged to the main power source. When we went we went dressed inside a box, wireless, Wi-Fi, some underground, others spread to the four corners, to the winds, to the ocean ...
The ones that came before us, our ancestors, they had similar destinies, with their living times.
The ones that came after us, our great great great grandchildren, they are outliving some of us. They inherited the connection, the interconnect, the cable of life.

We don't own really anything, but life given from that feed, that cable plugged to the main power transformer, the life source...to our mothers and fathers, sparkles of life. That's what we too give, what was given to us and what we truly own...life.

What we leave when we die is only what we truly own, what we fought for all our lives, ...
 
Ritmo said:
This is a topic that requires serious conversation with spouses; specially for very expensive equipment and large music collections. Like other assets, having a good and detailed plan with written instructions would be very helpful to the surviving spouse/partner/family member.

My 2 cents.
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I must respectfully disagree. Face it when your dead, you will hopefully be remembered for all the good you did. Why rock the boat when alive. If I sat down and did estate planning with my wife/kids and my wife in particular ACTUALLY SAW what I paid for this stuff, my funeral would come much sooner than expected.

At least when your dead, #1 you won't have to take sh-t for all you "wasted" and #2 at least for the time of mourning, no one is going to criticize you for the money "wasted" and #3 once the estate is divided up, it will be a nice surprise.

While I am still breathing and my mind still works, there is NO WAY, I am opening up Pandora's box. I want to spend whatever time I have left on this earth in peace.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
 
Priaptor said:
I must respectfully disagree. Face it when your dead, you will hopefully be remembered for all the good you did. Why rock the boat when alive. If I sat down and did estate planning with my wife/kids and my wife in particular ACTUALLY SAW what I paid for this stuff, my funeral would come much sooner than expected.

At least when your dead, #1 you won't have to take sh-t for all you "wasted" and #2 at least for the time of mourning, no one is going to criticize you for the money "wasted" and #3 once the estate is divided up, it will be a nice surprise.

While I am still breathing and my mind still works, there is NO WAY, I am opening up Pandora's box. I want to spend whatever time I have left on this earth in peace.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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In life, we deal with challenges in different ways. I choose to have clarity and transparency. I don’t find this to be a difficult issue to deal with. However, I don’t want to put my wife through the process of having to deal with this set of decisions.

Now, let’s enjoy some 🎶 ...
 
Ritmo said:
In life, we deal with challenges in different ways. I choose to have clarity and transparency. I don’t find this to be a difficult issue to deal with. However, I don’t want to put my wife through the process of having to deal with this set of decisions.

Now, let’s enjoy some �� ...
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I share all with my wife EXCEPT what I spend on audio, and a few other toys like my boat, my dock renovation, etc.

When she sees the boxes coming and going, speakers coming and going, she just shakes her head and says, "I don't want to know" so as far as I'm concerned I'm acceding to her wishes.
 
One of the greatest gifts my father gave me was a meticulously organized set of financial records when he died. He found out he had terminal cancer a month before he died. He had always kept very good records, but in that month, he organized them so that when I arrived at their home, everything was in order. I went with my mom to the local bank and she opened the safe deposit box (of course, not saying anything about my father dying) and together with his records and a copy of the Wall Street Journal with the stock prices of when he died, I had just about everything I needed for his estate evaluation, which took me less than a day to do. The only thing missing was an appraisal of their home (not in a community property state) which a local realtor friend did within a few days.

Contrast that with a family friend who passed away about the same time. He left all his financial records in a large number of grocery bags, stuffed with papers of all sorts, important and not. The only clue is that they were consecutively numbered. His children, a lawyer and a CPA took the better part of six months to untangle all the records.

Larry
 
I have no delusions that anyone wants my audio system. Despite the value, in the larger scheme of the estate, thankfully, it doesn't matter. It's far as can be from a family treasure with history and emotional significance. I'm just happy knowing if I die tomorrow, everyone will be taken care of. Thank God!

I can't imagine not telling my wife what I spent on audio equipment. Both of us are in this together "until death do us part". I do wish she had more expensive hobbies sometimes. I am happy she likes to travel the world with me, loves a good dinner out, and drinks more than her fair share of a nice bottle of wine every now and then!
 
CPP said:
You would be surprised what people are buried with.
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Yes. VTSkier (Jon) says he’s going to be buried with his Raidho C4.1’s. Or was that in the C4.1’s? Can’t remember.

It’s not because he loves them either. [emoji6]

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I am going to turn the tables. What happens if the wife dies before you, what do you do with all the coach purses, jewelry and hundred pair of expensive shoes?:hmmm:
 
There’s an idea. Prop my head on the pre amp and my feet on the mono blocks.


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Mechnutt said:
I am going to turn the tables. What happens if the wife dies before you, what do you do with all the coach purses, jewelry and hundred pair of expensive shoes?:hmmm:
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My wife died last year.

Other than her wedding ring, everything went to our daughter and two granddaughters.
 
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