Beloved actress Hayden Panettiere passed away on Sunday, August 16, at age 36. After the news of her tragic and sudden death, there have been questions about the circumstances surrounding her passing and what she leaves behind.
Details on What Could Happen to Hayden Panettiere’s Estate
The “Nashville” star was a mother to one child, a daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. Klitschko has sole custody of their child. Panettiere is also survived by her father, Skip Panettiere, and her mother, Lesley Vogel.
People spoke with three California-based attorneys, Marc M. Stern, Jordan Matthews, and Jonathan Forster, to better understand what could happen with the actress’s assets. One option is to set them up in a trust for Kaya. “If she has a trust, then it would be paid to the trust estate, and the trust would distribute to the beneficiaries,” Foster told People. “If she died with a will, it would go through the California probate process, and it would go to the people named in her will. And if she died without a will, it would go in accordance with the California laws of intestacy, and her daughter would receive everything.”
If Panettiere had established a trust before her passing, she could also name the trustee, who would act on behalf of her daughter. Another pro of having a trust is it adds another layer of financial anonymity. “The issue with a California guardianship of the estate is that it’s a public proceeding,” Stern said. “And so people will know what the assets are and where they go. If she wanted to shield her daughter, she could have used a trust.”
How Much Is Hayden Panettiere Worth?
It is unclear how much Panettiere leaves behind, but Celebrity Net Worth estimates her net worth at $6 million. In addition to her acting, Panettiere also penned her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” which was released in May. But who will be the beneficiary of her estate?
Matthews shared his thoughts with People, informing the publication that without a will, it is “most likely, her property will go to… her daughter.” He revealed that her parents “would likely not inherit under intestacy because she is survived by a child,” People reports.
Remembering Hayden Panettiere After Her Tragic Passing
Social media has been filled with loving tributes since Panettiere’s untimely passing, including one from her father, who shared a heartfelt statement to ABC News. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” he said. “She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”
By comparison, Vogel has been criticized, including by “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King, for the language she used in her statement to NBC News on Tuesday, August 18. While she called Panettiere an “amazingly talented person,” she also said she was on “the wrong path,” that she “sadly lost her way,” and that she wished “she had stayed true to herself.”
