Dispute Over Robin Williams’ Estate Ends

Robin Williams' widow and three adult children from previous marriages ended their legal dispute over the legendary comedian's estate. Mr. Williams' estate had an estimated value of $100 million and the dispute centered on a myriad of personal items. Mr. Williams died in August of 2014 and his children were the beneficiaries. However,the actor also included a provision in his plan that provided for his wife, Susan Schneider Williams, whom Mr. Williams married fairly recently in 2011. Schneider argued that she was not receiving enough money to maintain the home she owned with Mr. Williams in Tiburon, California.Meanwhile, his children claimed their stepmother was "adding insult to a terrible injury" by trying to change the terms of their father's trust, according to the Huffington Post. How did the estate dispute end? The terms of the resolution have not been released to the public. However, counsel for Ms. Schneider stated that she will receive enough support to continue living in her home for the rest of her...

06 May

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The Williams Family Feud – Lessons for Estate Planning

Posted by Bobby Feisee

in Bobby's Blog

Back in November 2014, I blogged about Robin Williams’ estate plan and his use of a living trust as a vehicle for distributing assets to his children. Unfortunately, despite what appears to be a thoughtfully crafted plan for who receives which assets, members of Williams’ immediate family have opted to litigate a dispute over his estate. The dispute focuses on an array of Mr. Williams’ personal items including his a tuxedo Mr. Williams wore, a promise ring, photographs and awards at his Tiburon, California home. The rivaling family members include Mr. Williams’ wife and three children from previous marriages. According to his estate plan, Mr. Williams passed on his Tiburon home to his wife. However, her attorney contends that the home should not be “stripped” of the things inside of it. On the other side, Mr. Williams' children argue that they are entitled to personal items, per the...