• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Law Offices of Kobrick and Moccia

Long Island Estate Planning Attorneys

ESTATE, TRUST PLANNING &
ELDER LAW INFORMATION CENTER

Call Now: (800) 295.1917

  • Attend Our Free Webinars
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Client Testimonials
    • Meet Our Team
  • Services
    • Blended Family Planning
    • Elder Law
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration
  • Elder Law
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Guardianship
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Nursing Home Planning
  • Resources
    • Articles
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Commack Elder Law
      • Elder Law Reports
      • Harrison Elder Law
      • Hauppauge Elder Law
      • Rockville Centre Elder Law
      • White Plains Elder Law
    • Estate Planning Definitions
    • FREE Estate Planning Worksheet
    • FREE Seminars
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Elder Law
      • Estate Planning
      • Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Medicaid
      • Probate
      • Trust Administration
      • Trust Administration & Probate
      • Wills and Trusts
    • Is My Estate Plan Outdated?
    • Legacy Wealth Planning Consultation Form
    • Medicaid Resources
    • Probate Resources
      • Harrison Probate
      • Hauppauge Probate
      • Long Island Probate
    • Probate Checklist
    • Special Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning for Niches
      • Trust Administration
    • Top Estate Planning Techniques
  • Communities We Serve
    • Nassau County
      • Garden City
      • Lynbrook
      • Malverne
      • Rockville Centre
    • Suffolk County
      • Commack
      • Dix Hills
      • Hauppauge
      • Nesconset
      • Smithtown
    • Westchester County
      • Harrison
      • Mamaroneck
      • Rye Brook
      • White Plains
  • Webinars
  • BLOG
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Contact Us
Home » Estate Planning » Dennis Hopper’s Estate – An Example of Why Divorce Should Trigger an Estate Plan Update

Dennis Hopper’s Estate – An Example of Why Divorce Should Trigger an Estate Plan Update

October 14, 2015 by Anthony Moccia Leave a Comment

Divorce Should Trigger an Estate Plan UpdateOften, the best way to explain a concept, or make a point, is by illustration or example. Such is frequently the case with estate planning. The estate of the late actor Dennis Hopper offers an excellent example of why divorce should trigger an estate plan update.

Actor, filmmaker, photographer, and artists Dennis Hopper originally shot to stardom as a result of the iconic film Easy Rider, which he both produced and starred in, back in 1969. Hopper went on to star in many other memorable movie roles as well as became an award winning photographer and artist. Hopper died at the age of 74 back in 2010. At the time of his death, Hopper was in the middle of a divorce with his fifth wife. Though the precise value of the estate he left behind isn’t known, experts estimate the value of Hopper’s estate to be around $40 million. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that the disposition of his estate was challenged.

Along with wife number wife, Hopper was also survived by four children, three of whom are adults and one minor, a 9 year daughter from his wife at the time of his death. The fact that Hopper was in the middle of a divorce at the time of his death could have significantly complicated matters even more; however, Hopper did something many people do not think to do – changed the provisions of his estate plan shortly after the divorce was initiated.

The divorce itself was contentious, with both sides hurling accusations and allegations at each other during the proceedings. Although his wife signed a prenuptial agreement prior to the marriage, she claimed she was coerced into the signing the agreement and that Hopper’s adult children manipulated him into filing for divorce. The pre-nuptial agreement gave her 25 percent of Hopper’s estate but only if they were still married and living together at the time of Hopper’s death. Not surprisingly, she refused to move out of the house during the divorce despite a court order ordering her to vacate the residence.

The fact the Hopper was in the middle of a divorce at the time of his death certainly did complicate the probate of his estate; however, had he not changed his life insurance beneficiaries and removed his wife as a beneficiary in his Will and trust things would have been much more complicated. Hopper’s forethought ultimately reduced the time and expense spent on litigation after his death and preserved the majority of his estate for his children (a settlement ultimately gave his wife a much smaller portion of his estate).

Hopper’s story serves as a perfect example of the importance of taking the time to review and revise your estate plan whenever a life event impacts that plan. If you have additional questions or concerns about estate planning contact the experienced New York estate planning attorneys at The Law Offices of Kobrick & Moccia by calling 800-295-1917 to schedule your appointment.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/dennis-hoppers-year-40-percent-late-fathers-estate/story?id=17271980

http://rumorfix.com/2013/01/nasty-fight-over-dennis-hoppers-art-is-settled-exclusive/

http://www.probatelawyerblog.com/2015/08/celebrity-legacies-no-easy-ride-for-dennis-hoppers-estate.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ProbateLawyerBlog+%28The+Probate+Lawyer+Blog%3A++Famous+Fortune+Fights%29

 

 

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Anthony Moccia
Anthony Moccia
Anthony Moccia is an attorney and partner at The Law Offices of Kobrick & Moccia.His practice focuses on estate planning and elder law.He is a member of the New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations.He frequently presents free seminars on wills & living trusts to area residents and his seminars are said to be “informative, entertaining & easy to understand.”
Anthony Moccia
Latest posts by Anthony Moccia (see all)
  • “Last Will and Testament” Origin - April 1, 2021
  • Do I Need a “Durable” Power of Attorney? - April 2, 2020
  • Joint Tenancy Pros and Cons - March 31, 2020

Filed Under: Estate Planning

Other Articles You May Find Useful

“Last Will and Testament” Origin
Joint Tenancy Pros and Cons
Joint Tenancy Pros and Cons
Planning for the Sandwich Generation
Planning for the Sandwich Generation
Best-Places-to-Retire-State
Best Places to Retire: State Taxation
men writing on paper
Whom Do You Want to Get Your Assets?
men writing on paper
Beneficiary Designations and Other Non-Probate Transfers

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Law Offices of Kobrick and Moccia

Download our free estate planning worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Blog Subscription

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

GARDEN CITY

1305 Franklin Avenue Suite 170
Garden City, NY 11530
United States (US)
Phone: (516) 248-9500
Fax: (516) 248-7606

HAUPPAUGE

150 Motor Parkway Suite 401 (Regus)
Hauppauge, NY 11788
United States (US)
Phone: (631) 941-3400
Fax: (516) 248-7606

HARRISON

600 Mamaroneck Avenue, 4th Floor
Harrison, NY 10528
United States (US)
Phone: (914) 701-0777
Fax: (516) 248-7606

MAP

kobrick_sidbr_map

Office Hours

Monday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Footer

footer-logo
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

The information on this Attorneys & Lawyers / Law Firm website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, emails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. The information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

Kobrick and Moccia, Attorneys at Law. Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Site Map | Powered by American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys

Law Offices of Kobrick and Moccia
Attorney Advertisement
© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.