ESTATE PLANNING IN MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM CELEBRITY ESTATE AND TRUST CASES?

Celebrities teach us many lessons; some teach us what to do and some not. Jimmy Buffett, Tony Bennett, Gene Hackman, and Hulk Hogan teach us in this blog. Let’s take a closer look at these celebrity lessons so we don’t make the same mistakes.

HULK HOGAN’S ESTATE – SHOULD YOU PROVIDE CLEAR LANGUAGE INSIDE YOUR ESTATE PLAN WHICH CONSIDERS ALL OF YOUR ASSETS AS A BIG PICTURE PUZZLE? YES, ALWAYS! 

Hulk Hogan, who died July 24, 2025, is said to have made final revisions to his estate plan in 2023, removing his daughter at her request and naming his son as his sole heir and beneficiary of his trust; yet, it is believed that she still retained ownership of his LLC, which held his real estate. That same year, he married his third wife, Sky Daily and her share of assets are unknown. His estate consists of millions of dollars in assets, including some assets held in LLCs and dome in trust. When using entities like LLCs or trusts to hold real estate or valuable assets to protect them and you and your loved ones; they must be considered as part of the big picture estate planning puzzle. 

GENE HACKMAN’S ESTATE – SHOULD YOU PROVIDE A CONTINGENCY PLAN AND UPDATE YOUR DOCUMENTS WHEN BIG LIFE EVENTS HAPPEN? THE ANSWER IS YES!

When Gene Hackman died in February 2025, days after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died, it was revealed his will and trust only named his wife as beneficiary. The documents were amiss for contingency trustees nor secondary beneficiaries. His three children were not named in those documents.  The lesson here is always create a trust with a “what if” scenarios—if your primary beneficiary dies first, or if you both die at close times, what happens next? This is vital in every estate planning situation!

TONY BENNETT’S ESTATE – SHOULD YOU PROVIDE FOR SOME CHILDREN AND NOT OTHERS WITH FULL TRANSPARENCY TO PREVENT FAMILY FIGHTING? YES, YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD!

Before his death in 2023, Tony Bennett updated his will and family trust. He suffered from Alzheimer’s and his intentions and abilities have been legally challenged by his two daughters, Johanna and Antonia, who remain in a legal battle against their two brothers. The lesson here is carefully consider who gets management powers or veto rights as this can affect both relationships and legal exposure. When someone is excluded, or given limited role, this can raise accusations of unfairness or mismanagement and creates hurt feelings among family members.

JIMMY BUFFETT’S ESTATE-ARE TRUSTS SET AND FORGET OR SHOULD THEY BE REVIEWED OVER TIME TO SEE IF THE PLAN MATCHES THE CURRENT GOALS? YES, PLEASE DO! 

Jimmy Buffett died in 2023 leaving an estate of approximately $275 million. His widow, Jane Buffett, is a beneficiary and co-trustee of the marital trust. The other co-trustee is Richard Mozenter, longtime financial advisor for Jimmy Buffett. Lawsuits have been files by Jane stating that Richard is wasting trust assets, failing to share financial information, and questioning intentions. The lesson here is before appointing a co-trustee, envision the worst-case scenario and put checks and balances in place to protect your wife; a trust protector. 

WHY SHOULD I USE ALLY M. GLASER, PA TO HANDLE MY WILLS AND TRUSTS, ESTATE PLANNING, AND PROBATE MATTERS?

I sell peace of mind and protect my clients and their loved ones with my holistic approach to estate planning. I am authentic, knowledgeable, and caring. As an Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts and Probate Attorney in Miami Beach, Florida with over twenty-eight years of experience and both a Psychology and Law degree, I handle these matters with knowledge and sensitivity. I am familiar and comfortable with both the Miami-Dade probate court system and Broward County probate court and I know how to get things done. I handle both estate planning and probate cases, thus, I am familiar with the challenges of each and provide my clients with additional protections. Call or email me today to discuss your matters.  I am happy to help you and your loved ones during this important process.