As per a 2020 National Sample Survey – the government carries out the study regularly – 13.4% of the elderly in rural areas and 15.5% senior citizens in urban areas live only with their spouses for company. The Varmas joined this demographic group more than a decade ago.
With all their three children settled abroad, Mrs and Mr Varma – retired senior government officials – have no immediate family members to help them around. Now in their early seventies, they have some health issues as well, including diabetes and arthritis. The Varmas have always been close to their former gardener Anil’s family. They are particularly fond of his daughters – educated and well-employed – who live nearby. The two young women practically run the Varma household. From grocery shopping to weeding the garden and the elderly duo’s medical appointments, they handle everything. They are not alone in this situation. As the above-mentioned figures show, an increasing number of elderly couples are coping with the final years of their lives with no help from immediate family or relatives. Many of them have found alternate support systems in their domestic staff, neighbours, friends or local NGOs.
The Varmas are deeply appreciative of the girls’ devotion and care, and may even want to bequeath a considerable part of their assets to them. Are you, too, being cared for by someone, who is not your child or related to you by blood? Have you been thinking about leaving behind something for them, as a token of appreciation for their unconditional love? But the catch is, no matter how well-intentioned you are, it’s a well-known fact that as per the Hindu Succession Act,1956, children are the natural heirs of their parents’ self-acquired property. If a couple is child-free, the inheritance will go to their next of kin, unless specified otherwise in the will. So, if you genuinely want to reward those people who have been there for you… who made you feel wanted and cherished when nobody else did, you should not procrastinate registering your will.
Though the number of people registering wills has seen a sharp increase since the pandemic, it’s fairly common to see people hesitating to plan their inheritance. From superstitious fear to the misperception that it’s a tedious process, the reasons are many. Registering a will is fairly easy, especially now, with EasyInherit at your service. Be it creating an online portfolio of all your assets, providing legal assistance by a team of specialist lawyers or helping you out with claims submission, EasyInherit is your one-stop solution for all inheritance-related issues.