The year 2014 will be remembered for many things, to include celebrity deaths. The details of another celebrity’s estate have recently been revealed. This time it is the estate of late actor Bob Hoskins.
Unlike some other celebrity estates, Hoskins’ is fairly ordinary.
Actor Bob Hoskins passed away last April at the age of 71. He was known for playing tough guys in movies who normally had a soft interior. Recently, the contents of his will were released.
He left his entire 1 million pound estate to his wife of 32 years.
Surprise? No, not really.
The Daily Mailhas the full story in “Pennies from heaven… Bob Hoskins leave 1 million to wife of 32 years who helped him battle depression.” The article includes a brief rundown of Hoskins’ acting career, including his time as a circus fire-eater.
Actually, Hoskins’ will is somewhat refreshing.
Recent celebrity estate cases have often been fairly messy with serious estate planning mistakes. Hoskins, however, did what many ordinary people choose to do – he left everything to his spouse.
If a mistake was made here, it is that we know what Hoskins chose to do with his estate. By using a will, the details of his estate were made public. If he had used a trust, it is more likely that his estate and his wife’s privacy would have remained free from public scrutiny.
All that noted, there is nothing wrong with estate planning with a will.
That is something that everyone should keep in mind. Wills are made public. If you do not want everyone knowing the details of your estate, then you need something besides a will.
An experienced estate planning attorney can educate you on the full range of options available to fit your unique circumstances.
Reference: Daily Mail (December 20, 2014) “Pennies from heaven… Bob Hoskins leaves 1 million to wife of 32 years who helped him battle depression“
