Latest news with #inheritance
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brooke Hogan Explains Why She Asked to Be Removed from Father Hulk Hogan's Will
Brooke Hogan opened up about her relationship and final conversations with her late father Hulk Hogan on a recent podcastNEED TO KNOW Brooke Hogan opened up about her relationship and final conversations with her late father Hulk Hogan on a recent podcast Brooke said she was "sobbing" as she asked to be removed from her father's will in 2023 Brooke said she removed herself to avoid confrontations over money with her mother Linda Hogan and her father's third wife Sky DailyBrooke Hogan is opening up about the emotional decision to remove herself from her late father Hulk Hogan's will in 2023. During a call-in appearance Tuesday, Aug. 5 on Bubba the Love Sponge's podcast, the 37-year-old former reality television star told her father's ex-best friend that she was 'scared' of the fighting that would come after her dad died, leading to her decision to remove herself from the equation entirely.'I was sobbing,' Brooke recalled during the interview, explaining that she was texting her father's assistant at the time to ask him to remove her from Hogan's will. 'I just said, take me off everything, I don't want to be a part of it.' Brooke said she later realized that 'money didn't matter' to her anymore after she became pregnant with her twins, who she and husband Steven Oleksy welcomed in January 2025. The sprawling interview was Brooke's first extensive media appearance since her father's death last month. Hogan died at his home in Clearwater, Fla., on July 24 at the age of 71. The WWE legend died from a heart attack, PEOPLE previusly reported, while medical records also revealed the retired professional wrestler had a history of leukemia and atrial fibrillation, a common disorder that causes irregular heart beats. Brooke appeared to surprise Bubba with her call into his program Tuesday morning. The host said he and Brooke had not spoken since 2011, before Hogan and Bubba's estranged wife Heather Clem had appeared in a leaked sex tape together. Referring to him as 'Uncle Bubba' at points, Brooke remained on the line for nearly an hour as they discussed everything from her dad's recent death to their final conversations together. The former Hogan Knows Best star said part of the reason she wanted to be removed from her father's will was to avoid confrontations with her mother Linda Hogan and her father's third wife Sky Daily, whom he was married to at the time of his death, over his financial legacy, alleging Linda was formerly a member of the Church of Scientology.'And then I thought if I get left any money or Nick [her brother] gets left any money then, no offense, my mom has been known to find herself in the mix with things like that,' Brooke said. 'And I'm like, I don't want to fight Linda, I don't want to fight scientology…It scared me. And I just said, I want out.' Read the original article on People
Globe and Mail
13 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
What this semi-retired accountant did with $3-million from multiple inheritances
The beneficiary: 'Brian,' as we'll call him, is a self-described 'middle-aged accountant in the suburbs.' More specifically, he's 56, semi-retired in Ontario and, since his beloved wife died far too young, a widower. Together they have one grown newlywed daughter who will someday inherit everything that Brian's got left over – but hopefully not any time soon. In the meantime, should Brian tell his 30-year-old daughter what's coming? The inheritance: As an only child with a handful of childless uncles, Brian was well-positioned 'at the tip of a funnel' to inherit the extended-family fortune – if there was one. 'I never really talked to my parents or anyone about money or wills, it just wasn't a subject of discussion,' says Brian, who had an inkling cash could be coming his way but was also well aware it could just as easily go to charity when the time came. 'I sort of half-expected that money was coming, which isn't enough, so I prepared for life without it.' Brian went to business school and became an accountant, both of which proved very helpful when an ample inheritance indeed came his way. Brian and his late wife received a series of lump sums: First, a couple hundred grand from his mother-in-law; next, $800,000 from his father who'd accumulated wealth through home ownership; and finally, a series of lump sums from extended family. All this added up to a collective amount of almost $3-million, which Brian and his wife considered communal. 'We always operated as a family and pooled all our money,' he says. 'Fortunately, we very much saw eye-to-eye when it comes to money. I'm an accountant; she was a much better accountant.' What they did with it: The money-savvy couple did exactly what they would have advised their clients: 'Primarily, we stuck it in the bank in GICs, mutual funds – the regular stuff,' says Brian. They paid off their car loans and started making maximum (and additional, direct-to-the-principal) payments on their mortgage. 'Once those were gone, our income stayed the same but the expenses dropped way down.' The couple was newly flush but not quite sure how to actually enjoy their money. 'We weren't three-weeks-in-Bali people anyway, but with more money in the bank, we did try to travel more and have a little bit more fun,' he says. The pair took a big trip throughout Western Canada and his wife splurged on the motorcycle she always wanted. Good thing, too, since the couple was soon sidelined by his wife's cancer diagnosis. In retrospect, those so-called 'splurges' were money well spent. 'I'm so happy I get to say I don't think we missed out on much,' says Brian, who's trying to keep the life-is-for-living sentiment in mind going forward – within reason. 'If I want to enjoy myself, I do. If I want an expensive bottle of wine, I get it,' he says. 'But I also think it's my responsibility to pass on more than I got.' For that, he's since invested in stocks that pay decent dividends. The revelation: A generation later, Brian's in a similar position as his parents once were and wrestling with the same question about when and how to pass along the family money. 'I consider myself in charge, at the moment, but I realize that will change,' he says. Like his parents, Brian's been deliberately vague about how much money he's got and how much is likely coming his daughter's way – though in this case his money (literally) talks. 'I give [my daughter] enough so she knows that Dad's not hurting, but not enough that Dad's bleeding money,' he says. He paid for her wedding, for example, and gifted the newly married couple a generous cheque – plus a note about how he'd like to discuss what they might do with it (ideally, in his opinion, home ownership). But that conversation hasn't happened yet, and since he values his close relationship with his daughter over all else, Brian isn't pushing it. Were his daughter to give every penny of the family fortune away to charity, which she might, Brian's long accepted that that's their prerogative – as it was his. 'It'd be none of my business,' he says. 'I won't be in charge anymore and I won't reach out from the grave either.' Some details may be changed to protect the privacy of the person profiled. We want to thank them for sharing their story. Have you recently received an inheritance and would like to participate in Inherited? Send us an e-mail.
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
He didn't know her, never visited, and wasn't at her funeral - yet this knife-wielding Romanian thug inherited a frail widow's home and sold it for £375,000 after police found a cannabis farm inside..
Neighbours of Eileen Holland say they never once saw the knife-wielding Romanian thug who inherited her house - not when she was alive, not at her funeral, and not even after police raided the modest 1930s semi and discovered it had been turned into a cannabis farm. Mrs Holland, a 90-year-old retired teacher and former Liberal Democrat council candidate, had lived alone for more than 40 years on Windsor Avenue in Uxbridge, West London. She had no children or close family and had become increasingly frail in her final years. Cataracts left her barely able to see, and neighbours regularly helped her read her post. When she was found dead inside her home in October 2019, police removed the only known set of keys. Her death was not treated as suspicious. With no will and no known next of kin, her name was added to the Government's Bona Vacantia list of unclaimed estates - presumed destined to pass into Crown ownership. And that, neighbours assumed, was the end of it. Then, almost four years later, a group of Eastern European men arrived at the property claiming they had 'found an heir' and were there to change the locks. The house had remained untouched since Mrs Holland's death, with her belongings still inside. Probate had been granted following the sudden appearance of a will - dated 24 February 2019, Mrs Holland's 90th birthday - which left £2,000 to the British Heart Foundation, £1,000 to the World Wildlife Fund, and 'the absolute entirety of the remainder of my estate as described above to Aurel Mezei.' None of her neighbours had ever heard the name. Aurel Mezei - a heavily tattooed 44-year-old from the northern Romanian city of Baia Mare - had never been seen visiting her during her lifetime and did not attend her funeral. Aurel Mezei - a heavily tattooed 44-year-old from the northern Romanian city of Baia Mare, inherited Eileen Holland's home Mrs Holland, a 90-year-old retired teacher and former Liberal Democrat council candidate, had lived alone for more than 40 years on Windsor Avenue in Uxbridge, West London Mezei had never been seen visiting Holland during her lifetime and did not attend her funeral His TikTok account shows him brandishing a zombie knife in one video, and flaunting a thick gold chain while smoking shisha bare-chested in another - a far cry from the sort of man a retired teacher might be expected to appoint as heir and executor in her final months. Within a fortnight of probate being granted, Mezei - already listed as director of four companies - registered a new business called Uxbridge Property Investments Ltd, using a flat near Heathrow Airport as the official address. 'I think they'd seen the house on the unclaimed estates list,' said one neighbour. 'I think they just backdated the will and inserted this Romanian businessman as the beneficiary.' The same resident said they had seen the signature on the document. 'It looks similar to hers,' they added, 'but it could well be a forgery.' When locals flagged their concerns to police - about the will, the men changing the locks, and the sudden appearance of a long-lost heir - they say they were told it wasn't a police matter. It took a second call, months later, to finally bring police to the door. This time, on 18 June 2024, the complaint was about six men acting suspiciously inside the house. Five fled the scene - and with good reason. The house had been gutted and turned into a full-scale cannabis factory. Abdi Gjeta, 41, was the only one left behind. He was arrested on the spot and later fined £187 after pleading guilty to being concerned in the production of cannabis. ‹ Slide me › Following the August 2024 sale, the property underwent a dramatic overhaul. The red brick was rendered over in a flat grey, the garage converted, and the attic expanded The rear of the house was extended with sharp, boxy lines that bore no relation to the original structure Two more bedrooms were added to the property, bringing the total to five The back garden - once green, planted, and cared for - was paved over entirely At the far end now stands a 1,229 sq ft storage shed, painted the same slate grey as the rest of the house, dominating the small outdoor space Within two months of the police raid, he had offloaded the house for a cut-price £375,000 to a British-Indian developer based in Leicester via Galaxy Real Estate, a small agency based in Southall, West London. To process the sale, Mezei supplied them with copies of his passport, the grant of probate, Mrs Holland's will, and her death certificate. A source at the firm said that her home - once neat, quiet, and carefully kept - had been left in such disrepair that not a single photo could be taken for marketing. Since the sale, Mezei has not been seen in the UK. But a MailOnline investigation has uncovered serious doubts about how he came to inherit the property in the first place - and whether the will used to obtain probate was genuinely created before Mrs Holland's death. Under UK law, a will must be signed by two adult witnesses who confirm the person signed it voluntarily and in sound mind. The two individuals named on Mrs Holland's will had both died before the document emerged in late 2023 - and their families say they had no connection to her whatsoever. One of the witnesses was John Harry Zieger, described on the will as an electrician from Maida Vale. In reality, Mr Zieger was a retired barrister and Jewish Hungarian refugee who arrived in Britain during the Second World War. He died aged 89 in January 2023. His widow, journalist and author Alexandra Kirsta, told MailOnline she was 'appalled' to learn her late husband's name had been used on the document. 'I don't recognise the lady who passed away nor the benefactor of her will,' she said. 'I've checked my husband's address book and there is no reference to either. That is definitely not John's signature. One of Holland's will witnesses was John Harry Zieger described on the will as an electrician from Maida Vale (Pictured: Mr Zieger with his wife Alexandra Kirsta) Pictured: Zieger's signature on Holland's will Pictured: Zeiger's signature on his own will 'He was not an electrician - he was a barrister, and a very private man not on social media. I find this appalling, it's creepy and incredibly intrusive. This man seems to be preying on the vulnerable and I just hope that he sees justice.' The second witness named on the will was Nelly Andersen, described as a 'retired' resident of a luxury flat near Borough Market in South London. In fact, she was a globetrotting senior executive at PR firm Ogilvy and remained in full-time work until shortly before her death aged 61 from cancer in 2021 - more than two years after the will was supposedly signed. Her sister Dorthe, speaking from their native Denmark, said: 'To my knowledge, Nelly did not know any of the persons mentioned and therefore did not sign any papers as a witness.' MailOnline examined the witness signatures and compared them to verified examples found in their own legal documents, including their personal wills. They didn't match. Despite the glaring inconsistencies, the will passed through probate without challenge. The witnesses were no longer alive, and no relatives contested it - leaving only the man who had everything to gain by saying nothing at all. Jeff Barnes, 64, from Enfield, is one of Mrs Holland's few surviving relatives. She was his great-aunt. 'I think this needs investigating a lot further,' he told MailOnline. 'It seems obvious to me that this is a scam, and that this so-called businessman got the house illegally. 'It's disgusting that he's been able to get away with it. He's wormed his way in, and I worry that slippery characters like this - who may or may not even still be in the country - often succeed in evading detection. The second witness named on the will was Nelly Andersen, described as a 'retired' resident of a luxury flat near Borough Market in South London Pictured: Andersen's signature on Eileen will Pictured: Andersen's signature on her own will Jeff Barnes, 64, from Enfield, is one of Mrs Holland's few surviving relatives. She was his great-aunt 'The chances of him getting prosecuted are remote. But I hope I'm wrong.' Following the August 2024 sale, the property underwent a dramatic overhaul. The red brick was rendered over in a flat grey, the garage converted, and the attic expanded. Two more bedrooms were added, bringing the total to five. The rear of the house was extended with sharp, boxy lines that bore no relation to the original structure. The back garden - once green, planted, and cared for - was paved over entirely. At the far end now stands a 1,229 sq ft storage shed, painted the same slate grey as the rest of the house, dominating the small outdoor space. Inside, the original layout was stripped out and replaced with a generic modern design. The floors were covered in marble-effect tiling, and the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms were fitted with high-gloss units and white stone-effect surfaces - all finished in a cold, uniform palette with little trace of the home that came before. A sale was later agreed for £730,000 but collapsed two weeks ago after a Land Registry investigation caused delays. It is now under offer again at £600,000 - slightly above the £550,000 average for the street. The property sits in legal limbo. The paperwork that allowed it to change hands is still being examined. Most who knew Eileen Holland no longer live on Windsor Avenue - but those left haven't forgotten that the man who sold her house for £375,000 was never seen while she was alive.
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Digital afterlife: What happens to your data when you die?
We live in an age where life doesn't simply end when the heart stops beating. For many, a substantial part of their identity lives online, in the form of cloud drives, cryptocurrency wallets, email inboxes, social media profiles, and biometric data. These digital fragments of a life once lived linger long after death, raising urgent questions: Who owns this data? Who should have access to it? And how can it be preserved, deleted, or transferred in accordance with someone's wishes? This emerging challenge is often referred to as the 'digital afterlife'. As our digital footprints expand, the concept of inheritance is rapidly evolving; no longer confined to physical assets such as homes, jewellery, or bank accounts. In the UAE and beyond, individuals, families, lawyers, and regulators are starting to confront the very real complications of managing and protecting digital assets after death. The rise of digital legacies From photos stored in cloud servers to NFTs and virtual currencies, digital belongings are increasingly seen as part of one's estate. In a world where more of our identities and wealth are virtual, the question isn't just who inherits your assets, but also who can access and manage your online presence after you're gone. David Yates, Partner and Head of Digital & Data at Al Tamimi & Company, says that before we can decide how to pass on digital assets, we must first define what they actually are. "It is important to be clear about what we mean about 'digital assets' or 'data assets',' he explains. 'These assets comprise any data set or data combination which has value as an asset, including cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens, real world asset tokens, fiat-referenced tokens, data collected in a social media account, data collected in a cloud storage account, and email accounts.' However, not all of these are recognised under the law in the same way. 'Critically, not all these assets are recognised as 'property' under local law,' says Yates. 'Data, generally speaking, is not property. A digital asset will only comprise property, capable of being owned and bequeathed, if there is a law which affords that type of digital asset a property right.' How the UAE law is adapting In recent years, the UAE has made notable progress in recognising and regulating digital assets. One of the most significant developments is the Digital Assets Law introduced in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), which officially came into effect in 2024. Known as DIFC Law No. 2 of 2024, this law expressly recognises digital assets as property, with a focus on cryptocurrencies and tokenised assets. This legal distinction is crucial, once recognised as property, these assets can be included in wills and estate plans. 'The law provides the service of a 'digital assets will' which allows the digital assets to be allocated to beneficiaries,' Yates notes. This type of will operates within a clearer legal framework that supports transfer of ownership, custody arrangements, and the title of these assets. Beyond the DIFC, multiple authorities across the UAE are stepping up efforts to regulate the space. The Central Bank and the Securities and Commodities Authority have begun regulating payment tokens and investment-related virtual assets respectively. Meanwhile, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in Dubai has set up a dedicated licensing regime for the virtual asset industry, and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has implemented a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) foundation framework. Ras Al Khaimah has also joined the fold with the launch of the RAK Digital Assets Oasis, a legal and economic zone tailored to digital asset companies. This patchwork of laws and zones highlights the UAE's proactive stance on digital innovation but also reveals the complexities that can arise for families trying to settle a loved one's digital estate. Why access matters more than ownership While property laws are essential, practical control over digital assets often hinges on access. Who has the login credentials, passwords, or private keys needed to retrieve the data? In many cases, valuable digital assets are lost forever because no one knows how to access them. Yates emphasises that even if a digital asset isn't formally recognised as property under local law, it can still be passed on if there's access. 'The key to this is access and control,' he says. 'The executor of a will can be given access to a social media account, or cloud storage facility, and instructed to take certain steps in relation to the data stored there, either deleting it, saving it, or handing it to someone else.' This introduces the concept of 'digital succession planning,' in which individuals proactively document all digital accounts, login details, encryption keys, and wishes regarding the fate of their digital presence. Without this planning, even assets with monetary value, such as crypto wallets, can become inaccessible, locked in digital limbo. Estate planners are increasingly urging clients to maintain a 'digital asset inventory,' which lists all their online accounts and relevant access information. Some even recommend using digital vaults or password managers that can be transferred to executors under specific instructions. Bridging civil and Sharia law in inheritance Inheritance law in the UAE is influenced by both civil and Sharia legal systems. Traditionally, these frameworks were designed for tangible assets. But as digital wealth grows, the challenge is adapting these systems to reflect contemporary realities. In civil law jurisdictions within the UAE, particularly those operating in financial free zones like DIFC and ADGM, testators can distribute digital assets more freely via wills and trusts, especially when these assets are recognised as property. In contrast, inheritance under Sharia principles, which apply by default to Muslims in the UAE, has specific rules on asset distribution that may not currently account for the nuances of digital assets. Lawyers believe that the space is evolving. While there is still legal ambiguity around how Sharia courts view certain digital belongings, the growing regulatory frameworks offer new avenues for individuals to incorporate digital assets into their broader estate plans. The future of digital legacy planning As more people conduct their lives, and livelihoods, online, questions about how we prepare for our digital afterlife are likely to become more mainstream. Already, major tech platforms like Google and Apple allow users to nominate legacy contacts or set account inactivity protocols. Social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram let users memorialise profiles or request deletion after death. Yet, despite these tools, many users still don't think about, or plan for, what will happen to their digital lives. This oversight could leave families in distress, struggling to retrieve sentimental data or dealing with unresolved financial assets locked in digital accounts. Law firms, tech providers, cloud platforms, and regulators all have a role to play in shaping public awareness and setting standards. Yates believes legal professionals must lead the way in bridging the knowledge gap. 'Legacy planning should include digital asset inventory and access information like private keys and the wallet information,' he advises. 'In this way, valuable (and sometimes personal) assets can be handled in accordance with the wishes of the deceased.' Planning for tomorrow Managing your digital afterlife means taking control of what you leave behind online. Today, our memories, finances, and identities exist digitally, making it essential to plan how these assets are handled. While UAE laws are evolving, the real responsibility lies with us to think ahead, communicate our wishes, and make informed choices about our digital presence. This is more than just a legal issue; it's deeply personal. Protecting your digital legacy means ensuring your online life is treated with care and respect, reflecting your values long after you're gone.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Steve Jobs' Kids Won't Inherit Any of His Billion-Dollar Apple Fortune
When Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, died in 2011, he left behind an estimated $10.2 billion fortune, which was inherited by his wife, Laurene Powell Jobs. Laurene is now worth $12.1 billion in the world, per Bloomberg Billionaires Index, but that wealth won't continue to the late tech guru's children. Steve had four children: daughter Lisa Brennan-Jobs, 47, from an on-again, off-again relationship with Chrisann Brennan, and three children with Laurene: son Reed, 33, and daughters Erin, 29, and Eve, 27. While all of his kids have found their place in the world, from software to modeling, they cannot rest on their laurels, thinking that a huge jackpot is coming their way when Laurene passes on. More from SheKnows Everything To Know About Eve Jobs, the Youngest Daughter of Steve Jobs Laurene explained why she and her late husband made this decision in a February 2020 profile with The New York Times. 'It's not right for individuals to accumulate a massive amount of wealth that's equivalent to millions and millions of other people combined,' she shared. 'There's nothing fair about that.' She took the cues from her late husband when it comes to her philosophy of the family's wealth. 'I inherited my wealth from my husband, who didn't care about the accumulation of wealth,' Laurene added. 'I am doing this in honor of his work, and I've dedicated my life to doing the very best I can to distribute it effectively, in ways that lift up individuals and communities in a sustainable way.' All four adult children are well aware that the fortune 'ends with' her because she's 'not interested in legacy wealth buildings' — they will have to earn their own money to live the lifestyle they want. While this may seem shocking to some people who want to keep the money flowing for generations to come, there are plenty of celebrities who are adopting a similar philosophy to the Jobs family. Bill Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French, might be the greatest examples of this philosophy. He's leaving his three children 'less than one percent of the total wealth,' which currently stands at $120 billion. 'In my case, my kids got a great upbringing and education, but less than one percent of the total wealth…, ' he said in a March 29, 2025, episode of the Figuring Out with Raj Shamani podcast. 'I want to give them a chance to have their own earnings and success, be significant and not overshadowed by the incredible luck and good fortune I had.' Even Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, who are currently worth $200 million, per Celebrity Net Worth, was pretty frank about why they've kept their kids' lifestyle pretty low-key so far. 'I'm not setting up a trust for them,' he said in a February 2018 interview on the Armchair Expert podcast. 'We'll end up giving our money away to charity and to various things. My kids are living a really privileged life, and they don't even know it. And they'll never know it, because this is the only one that they'll know.' Rich celebrity kids may have it easy when they live under their parents' roof, but these millionaires and billionaires are making sure their children contribute to society. It's time to get a job!Best of SheKnows Tom Cruise's Full Dating History Is Filled With Many A-List Women Who Is Pamela Anderson Dating? Inside Her Relationship History All the Best Fashion Moments from Lindsay Lohan's Acting Comeback Solve the daily Crossword
