176: Behind the Headlines: Gene Hackman's Estate Plan and What We Can Learn
Release Date: 04/09/2025
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Absolute Trust Talk
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190: Your Healthcare Voice (Part 2): Emergency Medical Orders
Absolute Trust Talk
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189: Your Healthcare Voice: Understanding Advanced Directives
Absolute Trust Talk
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188: Are You Risking Everything? The Insurance Your Business Can't Operate Without (Part 3)
Absolute Trust Talk
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187: Are You Risking Everything? The Insurance Your Business Can't Operate Without (Part 2)
Absolute Trust Talk
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186: Jimmy Buffett's $275M Trust Battle: Why Co-Trustees Can Destroy Your Estate Plan
Absolute Trust Talk
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185: Are You Risking Everything? The Insurance Your Business Can't Operate Without
Absolute Trust Talk
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184: From One Direction to No Direction: What Liam Payne's Estate Teaches Us About Planning
Absolute Trust Talk
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183: Beyond Borders: International Estate Planning Essentials for Families (Part 3)
Absolute Trust Talk
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182: Beyond Borders: International Estate Planning Essentials for Families (Part 2)
Absolute Trust Talk
In this second installment of Absolute Trust Talk's international estate planning series, host Kirsten Howe welcomes back estate planning specialist Janet Brewer to explore advanced strategies for families with cross-border connections. Building on their previous discussion of guardianship challenges, this episode focuses on critical tax considerations and financial hurdles faced by international families. Janet, a certified specialist with over 30 years of experience serving Silicon Valley clients, explains the unique tax opportunities available to visa holders with stock options and RSUs,...
info_outlineIn this episode of Absolute Trust Talk, Kirsten Howe, managing attorney at Absolute Trust Counsel, and associate attorney Jessica Colbert examine the estate of beloved actor Gene Hackman. They meticulously analyze the available court records from Santa Fe County, New Mexico, and contrast them with California's probate procedures. The attorneys skillfully debunk sensationalized headlines about Hackman's will, explaining the mechanics of pour-over wills and why media claims about his children being "cut out" are potentially misleading. While much of the discussion is speculation, they provide valuable insights into how proper estate planning anticipates contingencies like beneficiaries predeceasing the trustor. This episode demonstrates why understanding the difference between public court filings and private trust documents is crucial for anyone planning their estate.
Time-stamped Show Notes:
0:00 Introduction
2:39 Unraveling the court filings: What exactly was submitted in Santa Fe County after Gene Hackman's death?
3:46 Who is Julia Peters, and how did she become the personal representative of Hackman's estate?
5:00 California vs. New Mexico: Next, let’s dive into how "informal probate" creates a dramatically different process.
7:03 Separating fact from fiction: What headlines get wrong about Hackman's estate planning.
8:05 "His children are cut out." Here, Kirsten and Jessica debunk the sensational claims about Hackman's will.
10:00 The unexpected twist: What happens when a primary beneficiary predeceases the trustor?
11:44 The mysterious "GEBE" trust is revealed. Listen in as Kirsten and Jessica explore Hackman's power of appointment.
13:32 Why Hackman's true wishes may remain private forever - Unless litigation changes everything.