The loss of a young life is always tragic. And sometimes, if it is the death of a celebrity, it hits home for so many of us — because, having seen them on the big screen, we often feel as if we knew the person.
As difficult as these situations are, we can find lessons in another’s life or the mistakes they may have made.
The tragic death of celebrity Heath Ledger, for example, shows us just how important domicile is in estate planning and probate administration.
Celebrity Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger was a child actor from Australia who acted in teen comedies in the United States and several movies. He is probably best known for his portrayal of a gay cowboy in the film “Brokeback Mountain” (2005).
Sadly, Ledger died in New York City on January 22, 2008, from an overdose of prescription medications.
Estate Lessons from Celebrity Heath Ledger
The state of Heath Ledger’s estate at the time of his death in 2008 highlights just how important it is to keep your Will updated and the impact that domicile has on probate administration.
Although Ledger had made a Will in 2003, it was not updated before his death in 2008. His Will divided his estate between his parents and siblings and declared his residence to be western Australia. The Will was also governed by the laws of Australia.
In 2005, Ledger and actress Michelle Williams had a child, Matilda. Although the couple did not marry, they cohabited in New York City and continued to co-parent Matilda in New York City even after they separated in 2007.
Shortly before his death, Ledger purchased a $10 million life insurance policy for Matilda.
But he never updated his Will to include his after-born child.
Because it is not clear whether Ledger meant to leave Matilda out of his Will or not, assuming it was an oversight, in Florida, Matilda (who, by the way, did not bring a challenge to the Will) would be considered a “pretermitted child” for probate administration purposes.
A “pretermitted child” (as opposed to a disinherited child) is a child who was inadvertently or mistakenly left out of the Will.
To inherit from Ledger’s estate based on her status as a pretermitted child, in Florida, Matilda would have to prove the following:
- That she was left out of the Will
- That she was born after the making of the Will, and
- That she did not receive an advance equivalent to her share of the Ledger’s estate.
Clearly, Matilda would be able to prove the first two elements. It is less obvious whether she could prove the third because she was the beneficiary of the $10 million life insurance policy.
Again, assuming that Ledger did not mean to leave his child out of his Will, the lesson here is that it is important to update your Will. Estate planning evolves and changes with you over time. It is not supposed to be a “one-and-done” situation. Although Ledger did the right thing by having a proper Will drafted in 2003, he needed to update it as his life changed.
The other lesson Ledger’s failure to update his Will teaches us is just how important domicile is to probate administration. As mentioned above, Ledger’s Will declared Australia to be his residence. Yet, at the time of his death and for several years before his death, Ledger was living full-time in New York, not Australia. Because his Will contradicted his actions, no one knows where Ledger considered his domicile to be. If he had updated his Will, his place of domicile would have been known.
Where Ledger considered himself to be domiciled is important for estate tax purposes. As a resident of the United States, Ledger’s estate would have been able to take advantage of federal estate tax exemptions. As a non-resident alien, however, the same exemptions would not apply to Ledger’s probate estate. State tax exemptions also impact a person’s probate estate, making the issue of where one is domiciled at the time of death very important for estate tax purposes.
Death is always heartrending and frequently unexpected. Without warning, your loved ones can be left behind and unprovided for. Working with a probate lawyer to put an estate plan in place and keeping it updated can protect your loved ones and give you the peace of mind you deserve.
Probate Lawyers in South Florida
If you have probate or estate planning needs, protecting your family is just one phone call away. At SJF Law Group, our estate planning lawyers create plans as individualized as you are. We expertly guide individuals through the complex probate process and capably handle all aspects of the creation, administration, and settlement of trusts. Our Fort Lauderdale estate planning attorneys work with Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach County, FL clients. Connect with us on Facebook or Instagram or call us at 954-580-3690.