In the News – MLK Jr., Paul Walker, & More

/ February 8, 2014

Here are some recent reports of estate planning battles, mistakes and funerals…

Free iStock PhotoMartin Luther King Jr.’s children are fighting over Mr. King’s Bible and Noble Peace Price. The children have been battling each other often since their mother, Coretta Scott King, died in 2006. One of the contributing factors to the family disputes is the fact that Mr. King did not leave a Will when he died. See Family Feud Renews Over MLK’s Prized Possessions.

Paul Walker, who died in a car crash in November 2013, apparently left his entire estate, valued at $25 million, to his 15-year old daughter. It is unknown whether the funds were left to Mr. Walker’s daughter outright or whether they were directed to a trust for her benefit. The report does state that the daughter’s mother will be the custodian (and not trustee) of the funds so they could be available to Mr. Walker’s daughter when she attains age 21! See Paul Walker Left Entire $25 Million Estate to Daughter Meadow In His Will: Report. Thank you, Diana Marianetti Ringuette for posting this!

Philip Seymour Hoffman was buried in a private service on Friday, February 7, 2014. Who knows how his estate will be distributed but hopefully he had some plan in place to ensure his long-time partner, and mother of his three children, was provided for given the fact that they were not legally married. See Philip Seymour Hoffman Net Worth And Heirs: Who Will Inherit The Fortune And How Much Money Will They Get?