Even the rich and famous are not immune from the conflicts of their estates at death. Robin Williams, a famous American actor, passed away at the age of 63. He left behind a wife and three children. Mr. Williams had a will that passed his home in Tiburon to his wife, and his children were entitled to certain personal items.

This is where the chaos began. His wife believed the children were only entitled to personal items in Mr. Williams’ residence in Napa, and denied the children access to his Tiburon home for nearly 3 months after his death. As of today, the San Francisco judge presiding over the court case set a date of July 29^th as a deadline for Robin Williams' wife and children to come to a mutual agreement on how certain personal items and money will be distributed. The outcome is yet to be seen. Conflict among family members is common when an individual dies without an estate plan, with an incomplete estate plan, or with an estate plan that contradicts itself. This situation can be a lesson on just how specific you may need to be in your estate plan to be sure your assets are distributed according to your wishes.     Beware of estate planning law firms who generate “cookie-cutter” estate plans. Every estate plan should be customized to the client’s specific needs, wishes, and local laws. The attorneys at Ambler Keenan Mitchell Johnson offer a FREE, one-hour initial estate planning meeting to discuss your situation and how to draft an estate plan that meets your needs and distribution wishes. They will answer any questions you may have, and explain in detail how every piece of your estate plan works. To schedule your free consultation click here, call 303-407-1542, or email info@ambler-keenan.com.