Celebrity Estates: Wills of the Rich and Famous

Families often assume everything will work itself out after a major loss, until unanswered questions and outdated decisions start creating confusion. The hardest part usually isn’t the paperwork itself, it’s the conversations that never happened beforehand. In this episode of Celebrity Estates, Senior Editor David Lenok speaks with Brad Repinsky, director of estate, tax and financial planning at Signature Estate and Investment Advisors, about the estate planning lessons connected to Heath Ledger’s story. Using Ledger’s outdated will as a starting point, Brad explains why estate plans should evolve alongside marriages, children, shifting family relationships and changing financial circumstances. David and Brad also discuss the importance of involving spouses and adult children in financial conversations earlier, how beneficiary designations can unintentionally disrupt a carefully structured plan, and why simplifying accounts can make estate administration easier for surviving family members. Their conversation highlights how ongoing reviews and open communication can help families avoid unnecessary stress later on. Key takeaways: Why outdated wills and beneficiary designations can create confusion after major family changes How annual estate planning reviews help families adjust to life, tax and wealth transitions Why involving spouses and adult children early can reduce conflict and confusion later on How advisors can approach difficult family conversations without creating fear or resistance Why simplifying accounts and estate structures can ease stress for surviving family members Resources: Listen to Celebrity Estates on Wealth Management Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Apple Podcasts Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Spotify Trust and Estates Magazine Connect With David Lenok: david.lenok@informa.com Wealth Management LinkedIn: David Lenok LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: Wealth Management Connect With Brad Repinsky: LinkedIn: Brad Repinsky LinkedIn: Signature Estate & Investment Advisors Website: Signature Estate & Investment Advisors About Our Guest: Brad Repinsky is the Director of Estate, Tax, and Financial Planning at Signature Estate and Investment Advisors, where he works with high-net-worth families on estate planning, wealth transfer, and long-term financial planning strategies. His work focuses on helping families navigate topics such as beneficiary designations, trust structures, retirement planning, and multi-generational wealth conversations. Brad is particularly passionate about helping clients simplify complex financial situations and create plans that evolve alongside changing family dynamics and life events.

Giorgio Armani left behind more than fashion when he passed away at 91. His $12 billion empire, absence of direct heirs and a carefully crafted foundation raise essential estate planning lessons that extend beyond celebrity headlines. Kevin Ghassomian, partner at Venable LLP, explains how Armani separated wealth from control, empowered trusted collaborators, and institutionalized his brand to ensure continuity. He emphasizes the importance of early planning, communication and mission-driven structures in preserving wealth and vision. Join WealthManagement.com Senior Editor David Lenok and Kevin for a compelling discussion on the lasting lessons Armani’s estate provides for families, advisors and business owners alike. Key takeaways: Armani’s early planning, which began in 2016, allowed for a structured succession strategy The separation of personal assets from business assets to protect brand identity The creation of a foundation to act as the steward of Armani’s legacy, ensuring mission-driven continuity The benefits and challenges of planning without a spouse or children, highlighting freedom vs. overwhelm Practical lessons business owners of all sizes can apply, such as buy-sell agreements, trusts and meaningful communication. Resources: Listen to Celebrity Estates on WealthManagement.com Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Apple Podcasts Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Spotify Trust and Estates Magazine Connect With David Lenok: david.lenok@informa.com WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Lenok LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement Connect With Kevin Ghassomian: Website: Venable LLP LinkedIn: Venable LLP LinkedIn: Kevin Ghassomian About Our Guest: Kevin Ghassomian focuses his practice on the personal legal needs of business owners, corporate executives, high-net-worth individuals, and their families. Kevin’s representation covers all aspects of domestic and international estate planning, with an emphasis on tax minimization, asset protection, business succession, and philanthropy. Kevin also counsels individual and corporate fiduciaries on the administration of trusts and estates, including the preparation of gift and estate tax returns and defense of positions taken on those returns. Kevin previously worked in the New York City headquarters of a global investment company, where he counseled a multinational client base on complex wealth management matters, including foreign and domestic trust planning and related asset allocation strategies. Kevin leverages this background to collaborate with tax, investment, and insurance advisors, ensuring that their work is effectively integrated into the planning process. In addition to his law practice, Kevin is a frequent speaker, a published author, and a former professor of law, concentrating his scholarship on estate planning, taxation, and various wealth management topics. He also devotes time to numerous civic and charitable causes, maintaining leadership positions on several nonprofit boards.

When wrestling legend Hulk Hogan passed away, he left behind more than a fortune; he left a tangled family web. In this episode, David Lenok talks with Lawrence D. Mandelker, Partner at Venable LLP, to discuss the estate challenges surrounding Hogan’s $25 million legacy. Together, they explore how blended families, strained relationships, and renounced inheritances highlight the planning pitfalls that advisors see every day. From fairness vs. equality to the tools that can prevent disputes, this episode offers lessons advisors can apply directly with their clients. Key Points: Hulk Hogan’s life, fortune, controversies, and blended family structure Estate planning challenges with multiple marriages, stepchildren, and strained relationships How advisors can help clients balance fairness vs. equality among heirs Discusses tools like trusts, disclaimers, and no-contest clauses to prevent family disputes Why proactive conversations and lifetime gifts can reduce surprises and conflicts later And more! Resources: Listen to Celebrity Estates on WealthManagement.com Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Apple Podcasts Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Spotify Trust and Estates Magazine Connect With David Lenok: david.lenok@informa.com WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Lenok LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement Connect With Lawrence D. Mandelker: Venable LLP LinkedIn: Venable LLP LinkedIn: Lawrence D. Mandelker ldmandelker@Venable.com About Our Guest: Larry Mandelker helps high-net-worth individuals with estate planning by counseling on mutigenerational transfers of assets and business succession planning. Through the use of wills, trusts, and other estate planning instruments, Larry works with his clients to creatively design estate plans that address their unique needs and plan for future contingencies, while also focusing on asset preservation, premarital planning, and estate, gift, and income tax minimization goals. His clients include individuals in many industries, including corporate executives and founders, owners of closely held businesses, real estate owners and developers, financial principals, technopreneurs, entertainers, athletes, and publishers.

In this episode of Celebrity Estates, host David Lenok welcomes Oliver Pursche, senior vice president at Wealthspire Advisors, for a deep dive into the estate complexities surrounding Leonard Lauder’s famed art collection. From cubist masterpieces to staggering valuations, they explore how collectibles impact balance sheets, spark family conflict and raise nuanced estate planning questions. Here’s what to expect from this episode: The emotional psychology behind collecting and why it matters to advisors How valuation types (fair market vs. insurance vs. resale) shape tax and succession planning What advisors must know about collaborating with clients’ outside experts Strategies to handle heirs with unequal interest in inherited collections And more! Resources: Listen to Celebrity Estates on WealthManagement.com Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Apple Podcasts Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Spotify Trust and Estates Magazine Connect With David Lenok: david.lenok@informa.com WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Lenok LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement Connect With Oliver Pursche: Wealthspire Advisors LinkedIn: Wealthspire Advisors LinkedIn: Oliver Pursche, CEPA, AAMS (800) 994-3766 About Our Guest: Oliver serves as an advisor based in the firm’s Westport, Conn. and New York offices and is an Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS®). He joined the team with over 25 years in financial services, having worked with independent RIAs, regional Broker Dealers, banks and bank trust departments, and family and multi-family offices. Before coming to Wealthspire, he worked at Bruderman Asset Management, where he served most recently as the interim Chief Market Strategist and Vice Chairman of the Board, and previously as Chief Executive Officer. While concluding his tenure at Bruderman, he simultaneously served as Chief Investment Officer and Chief Market Strategist at EsteV LLC. He has also held leadership positions at Gary Goldberg Financial Services, Trust Company of America, and Neuberger Berman. Oliver is an experienced global macro market strategist with significant media and corporate communications experience, as well as a published author. Active in the industry and his community, he served on the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women Entrepreneurs Advisory Board, Westport Arts Center Board, and Harvard Business Review Advisory Board, among others. Originally from Germany, Oliver has resided in Fairfield, CT since 1984 and likes to stay active by playing tennis, scuba diving, and participating in competitive trap and skeet shooting in his free time.

Leon Spinks shocked the world in 1978 when, in just his eighth professional fight, he defeated Muhammad Ali to become the undisputed heavyweight champion, a victory still regarded as one of boxing’s greatest upsets. Yet, despite his early success and multimillion-dollar earnings, financial missteps and the long-term effects of brain injuries would take a heavy toll. At his lowest point, Spinks worked as a janitor and fast-food worker in Nebraska. But with the unwavering support of his wife Brenda, he eventually found peace and stability in Las Vegas, where he remained a cherished figure in the boxing community until his death from prostate cancer at age 67. Join WealthManagement.com Senior Editor David Lenok as he sits down with advisor and author George Stefanou for an insightful conversation on the unique estate planning challenges faced by first-generation millionaires. Together, they explore the emotional complexities and generational tensions that arise when “old country” values meet modern American dreams—and how advisors can help families navigate the delicate balance between legacy, lifestyle, and long-term stewardship. George shares insights into: Challenges faced by first-generation millionaires The emotional side of estate planning and the importance of family conversations How heirs can avoid a ‘windfall mentality’ Strategies for fostering family cohesion and legacy The expanded role of advisors, including the need for increased financial literacy And more Resources: Listen to Celebrity Estates on WealthManagement.com Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Apple Podcasts Subscribe and listen to Celebrity Estates on Spotify Trust and Estates Magazine Two-Comma Wealth by George Stefanou, CFP®, CPWA®, CEPA® Connect With David Lenok: david.lenok@informa.com WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Lenok LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement Connect With George Stefanou: Two-Comma Wealth Edward Jones: George Stefanou LinkedIn: George Stefanou Facebook: George Stefanou About Our Guest: George is a first-generation Greek-American and a 2023 & 2024 Forbes Best-in-State Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisor, serving as the financial guru behind “Two-Comma Wealth.” As a University of Central Florida alumnus and avid football fan, George brings a unique perspective to the world of personal finance. Alongside his roles as a devoted husband to Kristin and father to Ella and Aubrey, George is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional who also holds the following advanced credentials: Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®), Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®), Accredited Asset Management Specialist℠ (AAMS®), Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist℠ (CRPS®) and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠ (CRPC®). Drawing on over 15 years of experience and thousands of diverse client interactions, George has developed a talent for humanizing finance, helping clients navigate the complexities of wealth management while empowering both investors and advisors.

After four decades of acting and winning multiple awards, Gene Hackman was found dead in his home at the age of 95, along with his wife and primary caretaker, Betsy Arakawa. Forensics uncovered that his wife predeceased him, leaving him to struggle with Alzheimer’s alone before passing away one week later. Join WealthManagement.com Senior Editor David Lenok, and Jackie Bevilaqua a partner at Warshaw Burstein, as they delve into the tragic and unexpected circumstances of Hackman’s final days, exploring pressing questions about elder care, cognitive decline and how to safeguard clients against unforeseen complications. They discuss: Challenges in estate planning for cognitively impaired clients The importance of ongoing revision and understanding of estate plans How societal shifts impact elder care and estate planning The significance of community support systems in elder law Legal nuances of simultaneous deaths and the implications for estates Resources: Listen to the latest episodes of Celebrity Estates Trust and Estates Magazine Connect With David Lenok: david.lenok@informa.com WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Lenok LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement Connect With Jacqueline Bevilaqua: LinkedIn: Jacqueline Bevilaqua Warshaw Burstein About Our Guest: Mrs. Bevilaqua has focused her practice on trusts and estates law since 2013. She has a strong background in estate planning and estate and trust administration for a diverse clientele, particularly complex issues of gift, estate and trust taxation. She also has significant experience in international estate planning, foreign account tax act compliance, and pre-immigration tax planning. In addition, Ms. Bevilaqua is well-versed in counseling nonprofit corporations on regulatory, governance and federal and state tax compliance matters.

Jim Thorpe, revered as one of the greatest athletes in American history, exemplifies how personal wishes and legal rights can conflict posthumously. Thorpe’s estranged third wife, Patricia, moved his remains to a town in Pennsylvania, which now bears his name, in a bid to create a tourist attraction, a decision contested by his sons under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. David Lenok speaks with Alma Soongi Beck and Professor Jo Carillo about the multifaceted legal landscape surrounding estates involving Native Americans, focusing on Jim Thorpe’s controversial burial. They explore the nuanced issues of land rights, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and the increasing interest in land back movements. David, Alma, and Jo discuss: The legal battles surrounding Jim Thorpe’s burial controversy and what it symbolizes for Indigenous rights; The impact and significance of the land back movement on traditional land ownership; Common pitfalls encountered in estate planning involving Indigenous lands; Recent trends in charitable giving and how they support Indigenous communities; How tax laws affect charitable giving to Indigenous organizations; Resources: Listen to the latest episodes of Celebrity Estates Trust and Estates Magazine Native Land Digital Sogorea Te’ Land Trust Connect With David Lenok: david.lenok@informa.com WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Lenok LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement Connect With Alma Soongi Beck: LinkedIn: Alma Soongi Beck Lathrop GPM Connect With Professor Jo Carillo: UC Law San Francisco: Jo Carrillo About Our Guests: Alma Soongi Beck is certified as a specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law by the State Board of Legal Specialization. Alma’s practice focuses on trusts, charitable planning, gift and estate tax planning, and post-death administration including trust administration and probate. She also offers consultations and seminars on the legal and tax implications of domestic partnership, marriage, and property co-ownership for same-sex and unmarried couples, as well as on the evolution of parentage and gender in estate planning. Alma also advises and presents Land Back to Indigenous Tribes for titleholders, Tribes, and Indigenous nonprofit organizations. Jo Carrillo JD/JSD is a Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Indigenous Law Center (ILC) at UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). For over three decades, Carrillo has taught and written extensively in property and property-related subjects, including Federal Indian Law. Carrillo earned her BA from Stanford University, her JD from the University of New Mexico, and her JSD from Stanford Law School. She is a member of the Order of the Coif, the American Law Institute, and a former Trustee of the Law & Society Association; she was a Visiting Scholar at The Center for the Study of Law & Society at UC Berkeley Law, and a Visiting Professor at Stanford Law School. As Faculty Director of the UC Law Indigenous Law Center, in addition to other responsibilities, Carrillo facilitates a seminar series called Law & Seminars.

Shannen Doherty, a beloved actress, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, tragically caught too late for treatment. The day before her passing on July 13, 2024, she finalized her divorce from Kurt Iswarienko, ensuring her assets would be passed to her chosen beneficiaries. In this episode, David Lenok and guest Shawn Goheen stress the importance of proactive estate planning. They discuss: The critical timing of Shannen Doherty’s divorce, enabling her to secure her assets for her intended heirs; Essential strategies for advisors to promote early, comprehensive estate planning; The vital role of life insurance in safeguarding a well-rounded estate plan; Navigating complex family dynamics and business ownership in estate planning; And more. Resources: Listen to the latest episodes of Celebrity Estates Trust and Estates Magazine Connect With David Lenok: david.lenok@informa.com WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: David Lenok LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement Connect With Shawn Goheen: Goheen Insurance LinkedIn: Shawn Goheen About Our Guest: Shawn Goheen is the heart and soul behind Goheen Insurance. Since the early ’90s, he has been more than just a financial advisor; he has been a trusted confidant to high-net-worth individuals. His journey has led him to build strong connections with over 15 specialty lenders and insurance carriers and relationships with 20+ banks, giving him a rare edge in navigating the often complex financial world with ease and transparency. But Shawn’s work goes beyond just crunching numbers. He gets to the heart of what each client needs, understanding that everyone’s financial journey is unique. He’s also known as the “Advisor to Advisors,” a role where he shares his insights with other professionals, helping them uncover new opportunities and grow their practices.