Robin A. Lloyd, Sr., J.D.

January 9, 2018

GUNS, GUNS EVERYWHERE!

Apparently, because of the concern over a potential firearms ban, a good number of people bought firearms over the last few years.  Because of our estate planning work, I started to think back at how many estate inventories I had with weapons in them. They have increased over the past few years.  Add to the legal education announcements for “Gun Trusts” and you start to see a trend.

Several years ago I was at the home of a widow for the Estate inventory and appraisal when, because of my military experience, she asked me to go into her husband’s closet and locate, disarm and remove a pistol she knew he kept in there.  Her daughter later took it away.  Another widow found a gun and knife collection in her husband’s safe.  We sent her to a dealer for their disposal.

More recently a widow told me she had given several of her late husband’s weapons to her stepson.  I asked if she obtained a receipt.  This trend in my practice started to make me realize how common guns are in today’s society.  The problem is what you do with them when the owner dies. I am not against guns, but you have a responsibility to make sure they are kept safe, and you may want to dispose of the gun through a licensed firearms dealer. Wherever you are located you need to not only check federal law, but also the law of your local area.

Many of us enjoy guns and target practice.  We need to make sure they are kept out of reach of children and criminals through proper estate planning measures.