Hot Momma Gossip

The late Heath Ledger drew up a three page will in April 2003 in Australia, before his Oscar-nominated role in Broke Back Mountain. At that time, Heath left all his wordly goods to his parents and sisters. This was before his relationship with actress Michelle Williams, mother of his daughter Matilda whom he met on the set of “Brokeback” . Documents filed in Manhattan court state that he had less than $145,000 in assets at the time, including a $25,000 Toyota Prius and $20,000 in furniture and fixtures. Obviously before he made it big.

Ledger’s life came to an end tragically after an accidental overdose at the beginning of the year.  No word on whether the actor made any arrangements for Michelle and Matilda. From the records there are no hint of the real size of his wealth, which would include the fancy Brooklyn townhouse he and Williams shared, and any property in Australia or cash stuffed in trust funds.

“If they had jointly held assets, those are not subject to probate,” said Karin Barkhorn, an estates specialist at Bryan Cave. “There’s no sleight of hand, it’s just not required.”

Barkhorn also pointed out that celebrities often put most of their money in trusts, which are not subject to public proceedings in Surrogate’s Court.  It’s a lesson to all of us to make a will and keep it up to date.

Update: Heath Ledger’s family responded quickly Saturday quicky to these reports that their late son had not updated his will since his relationship with Michelle Williams and the 2005 birth of their daughter Matilda Rose. They said in a statement:

“Matilda is our absolute priority and Michelle is an integral part of our family,” Heath’s father Kim Ledger says in a statement. “They will be taken care of and that’s how Heath would want it to be.”

So I guess, no worries mate!

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