The death of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, on February 26, raises a crucial question in the distribution of their estate: who died first? The answer directly influences the fate of their inheritance, due to the structure of their wills and trusts.
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According to family and trust law attorney David A. Esquibias, the couple had established a pour-over will. This legal mechanism ensured that, upon the death of one of them, their estate would automatically pass to the other’s trust.
PUBLICIDAD
Chronology is important in determining the inheritances of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa
According to the reported circumstances, Betsy would have passed away before Gene, which means that all her assets would have been transferred to her husband’s trust. Subsequently, upon Gene’s death, the entirety of his estate would be distributed according to the terms of his own trust.
However, the identity of the beneficiaries remains unknown. Although Gene Hackman had three children with his first wife, Faye Maltese, it has not been confirmed whether Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie are listed as beneficiaries. Information about the trust has not been made public yet, leaving many questions open about the management of his estate.
Faced with this uncertainty, Christopher Hackman has hired estate lawyer Andrew M. Katzenstein, which could indicate preparation for future legal disputes or simply responsible management of the family inheritance.
On the other hand, Betsy’s will stipulated that part of her estate would be allocated to a charitable trust with the purpose of supporting causes aligned with the values she shared with Gene. This aspect adds a philanthropic dimension to the distribution of her assets.
Currently, Julia L. Peters from Avalon Trust Co. has been appointed as the personal representative of both estates, suggesting that the administration of the inheritance will undergo a rigorous legal process before the final beneficiaries are revealed.