It is no surprise that estate planning is a complex and invasive process. However, estate planning for celebrities can be extremely complex with so many interested parties involved in the process. With recent celebrity deaths and will and trust mistakes, it becomes increasingly more important that we learn from these celebrities’ mistakes. Many experts and lawyers attribute celebrity will mistakes to their hectic lifestyle. Wills, trusts, and estate planning must be updated whenever one experiences a major life change; however, many celebrities fail to do this very important estate planning task.
- Ted Williams’ lack of specification of his final wishes in his will caused family turmoil after his passing. The famous baseball hitter’s body was involved in a game of tug-o-war as his family members had different expectations of what to do with his remains.
- Sonny Bono’s unexpected passing during a skiing accident in 1998 led to extreme legal battles between his former wife and surviving wife. There were also rumors of a love child in the mix. Sonny Bono’s failure to draw up a will led to years of chaotic legal troubles.
- When Heath Ledger passed away in 2003, it became known that he had failed to update his will after the birth of his daughter. While this would typically leave extreme legal troubles for years, Heath Ledger was lucky that his parents and siblings wanted Heath’s final wishes to be granted. Therefore, all of his money and estate was granted to his daughter Matilda.
- Despite Pablo Picasso’s great fortune, he failed to draw up a will. His tax bill owed to France was paid off in his fine art pieces, while the rest of his estate continued to be up for legal debate for years.
Contact Gaudy Law in Upland for all of your California legal needs. Whether you are in need of assistance through the probate process, planning your will or trust, or going over estate planning, we will provide you with the representation you deserve.
