A Jewish mother's first-born male child must be “redeemed” by giving money to a cohen if the below criteria apply. Pidyon ha'bein is a mitzva for the father of the boy. Anyone may do the actual redemption (including a woman) as long as the father appoints him or her as his emissary to do so.

To do Pidyon Ha'Bein:

• Pidyon ha'bein is done at least 30 days after the boy was born.
• The boy's father gives six genuine American silver dollars to any cohen. If there is no father, consult a rabbi.
• The boy's father says the blessing al pidyon ha'bein and she'hecheyanu.

 

There are three criteria for Pidyon HaBein:

1. First child born of a mother must be male.
   Note If a woman miscarries a fetus that has already developed limbs, any male child born after that is not considered a first-born male (bechor) and no pidyon is done.
2. Boy must not have been born by caesarean section.
   Note A boy who was born normally after his brother was born via caesarean section is NOT a bechor.
3. Mother may not be the daughter of a cohen or levi (priestly family or assistants) and the father may not be a cohen or levi.

Jews thank God for His blessings by giving Him the “first” (reishit) of various products (as well as a tenth/ma'aser of agricultural and other wealth). 
“First” applies to:

• First-Born/Petter Rechem
  • First-born male children/petter rechem (redeemed with money; see Introduction to Pidyon HaBein).
  • First-born male kosher domestic animals (calf, lamb, kid)/petter rechem (in Temple times: sacrificed on altar; now, permanent holy status--see Selling Mother Animal before Birth of Petter Rechem.
  • First-born male donkeys/petter rechem chamor (redeemed with sheep/goat; holiness of both the donkey and the sheep or goat then disappears).
• Dough/Challa

• First Fruits/Bikurim

• First Shearing/Reishit HaGeiz

A mourner may not generally enter a hall of joyous celebration and may not eat at any public meal. During the year of mourning for parents, you may not join any public festivities (even if it is not a simcha) that have a meal, including any meals celebrating a mitzva (se'udat mitzva) such as for a brit mila, wedding, or redemption of a son (pidyon ha'ben). After 30 days, you may attend a bar mitzva or a siyum meal, since a bar mitzva is similar to a siyum since the child's parent's commandment to educate his/her child in Jewish education has been completed.
ExceptionA mourner whose child is getting married, does attend the wedding and does eat at the meal with everyone else, even if mourning for a parent. He or she does not need to leave the room when music is being played. To attend the wedding of anyone other than one's child, regardless of who died, a mourner must eat alone and outside the main dining area.

Restrictions during the Nine Days before Tish'a b'Av are the same as for Three Weeks, plus:

• You may not eat meat or drink wine.
  Exceptions

  1. You may drink wine on Shabbat (but not on Rosh Chodesh Av or erev Shabbat.)
  2. You may drink wine for havdala (but ideally give the wine or grape juice to a child between ages 6 and 10).  
  3. You may eat meat or drink wine at a brit, siyum, or pidyon ha'ben.
• You may not wear freshly laundered clothes, or wear or buy new clothes.

• You may not wash yourself for pleasure.
  Note Showering or bathing to clean one's soiled body is permitted (except on Tish'a b'Av).  So you may bathe or shower during the Nine Days if you are dirty, sweaty, or smelly.
• You may not do any activities that involve luxury.
• You may not say she'hecheyanu except on Shabbat.
  Note Therefore you should not buy new fruits or new items that you will enjoy during the Nine Days.  But if you DO eat a new fruit or buy something new, you must say she'hecheyanu anyway.

Property may be given away in any manner and amounts desired during a person's lifetime. A Jew must give his property away before death if he does not want to make the inheritance according to Jewish law (such as double portion to a father's first-born son, etc.--consult a rabbi for details). A person should reserve some money to fulfill the Torah commandment of inheritance. Consult a rabbi.
Since a person cannot give away property after his/her death (since he/she does not own it anymore), an American will has no halachic validity. An American will should be written to keep the inheritance out of the hands of the government and lawyers. In order for a secular will to be effective under halacha, an acquisition should be made that starts to take effect beginning at the time of the kinyan and finalize one hour before the person's death. 
Rabbinic guidance is recommended.