(Great Song...)!

I'm at the age where I am really starting to evaluate where I've been and what I'll do for the rest of my life.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting to expire later this month or anything. I still plan to travel overseas on playing jobs 6-8 time a year, play 300 gigs, do film scores and film production, teach, serve as guardian for two ladies (both widows of long-time friends), be active in charitable organizations, etc.

But the fact is, I AM a 68 year old dude with lots of miles on me.

Thing is, I don't think that it is set in stone that I set my kids up for life. I had it pretty rough (not even enough for lunch money in school), but that taught me to be self-sufficient at a very early age. I started playing for an adult's salary at 11 and was able to help support 4 brothers and help them escape a rough, physically abusing situation. That is one of the reasons playing music is so important to me.

Now, I need to figure out what to do for my kids and what to do with the things I have accumulated.

Here's the plan:

* Finish the music based youth center here in Lexington I'm planning, including fully stocking it with instruments and computers. Design a plan for deserving kids to earn a professional quality instrument if they progress appropriately.

* Make a significant contribution to the New Orleans Habitat project (6 figures, with some input on my part about what is done with my contribution).

* Leave each of my three children $500,000.00. That's enough to give them a measure of safety, but not enough for them to just give up and "play" for the rest of their lives. They need to earn their own way, not live their whole lives waiting for the old man to die. The two boys can each choose 10 instruments each (they both play and have, probably 20 each now I have given/bought for them over the years). For my daughter, I'll forgive some sizable loans she has gotten from us over the years.

* I've set up an education trust to cover the college costs of 4 grand kids.

* I have willed some collectible guitars to three favorite Synthzone members. This is REALLY important..."feel good" stuff to me.

* I'm leaving $25,000.00 each to three brothers and sisters from Mexico I have come close to (dad is a buss boy at a club I play). I'm considering adding them to my family education trust.

* The houses, warehouse, commercial property, instruments, vehicles, personal items and remaining funds in accounts and investment vehicles will all be converted to cash and donated
to my favorite charitable organizations, including the Nursing home reform group I serve on as a Director. About a 10th of the estate would build a physical center and provide enough investment income to cover annual operations costs.

Needless to say, some family members are not happy about the plan. Some, particularly, nephews, a cousin and an uncle have talked to others about their "inheritance" for years and even asked for "advances" often. Loans to these folks amount to several hundred thousand dollars...never to be paid back, I'm sure.

My problem is, that means the majority of my net worth will go to people and organizations other than my own kids and direct relatives.

I've been told by folks expecting more that that's pretty cold.

What do you think? I have an appointment to alter my will per above next Wednesday.

Russ
(the stingy old bastard)