Legal Definitions - demonstrative bequest

A demonstrative bequest is a type of bequest in a will that specifies that a certain gift or amount of money must be paid out of a specific source, such as a stock fund. This means that the gift or amount of money is not taken from the general assets of the estate, but from a specific source that the testator has designated.

• A testator leaves $10,000 to their niece, to be paid out of their investment account.
• A testator leaves their antique car to their son, to be paid out of the proceeds from the sale of their vacation home.

In both of these examples, the testator has specified that the gift or bequest must be paid out of a specific source, rather than from the general assets of the estate. This ensures that the designated source is used to fulfill the bequest, and that other beneficiaries are not affected by the gift.