Episodes

With Donald Trump appearing at his recent inauguration flanked by tech billionaires, the connection between presidents and the almighty dollar is more apparent than ever. However, Trump is not the only president with an interesting relationship with money. In this episode of the Celebrity Estates podcast, host David Lenok welcomes back Megan Gorman, a wealth and tax planning expert and founding partner at Chequers Financial Management, to discuss her new book, All the President’s Money: How the ...

Jim Thorpe, revered as one of the greatest athletes in American history, exemplifies how personal wishes and legal rights can conflict posthumously. Thorpe’s estranged third wife, Patricia, moved his remains to a town in Pennsylvania, which now bears his name, in a bid to create a tourist attraction, a decision contested by his sons under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. David Lenok speaks with Alma Soongi Beck and Professor Jo Carillo about the multifaceted le...

John Amos, an actor who starred in such television shows as Good Times, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The West Wing, is believed to have died from congestive heart failure, but his only daughter Shannon has doubts. She has accused her brother of elder abuse, including isolating Amos from others, impersonating him in communications and disregarding his medical needs. Join David Lenok as he speaks with Neil Solarz, shareholder and director at Winestock Manion, about estate planning, wealth transfe...

Shannen Doherty, a beloved actress, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, tragically caught too late for treatment. The day before her passing on July 13, 2024, she finalized her divorce from Kurt Iswarienko, ensuring her assets would be passed to her chosen beneficiaries. In this episode, David Lenok and guest Shawn Goheen stress the importance of proactive estate planning. They discuss: The critical timing of Shannen Doherty’s divorce, enabling her to secure her assets for her intende...

Simon Cowell, reality star and record producer, has an estimated net value worth of $600 million. How much of that will be left for his son? According to him, nothing. Listen in as host David Lenok is joined by Thomas Kopelman, head of community at Estate Planning platform wealth.com and co-founder of All Street Wealth. Together, they discuss how Simon plans to handle his $600 million estate and the broader implications of disinheriting heirs. Cast your vote toward Simon’s decision as David and ...

Even celebrities aren’t free of the pitfalls of poor estate and legacy planning. With their lives and finances often in the spotlight, it can be easy to see where they fall short and how to avoid those same problems if you know where to look. Join David Lenok and his guest, psychologist and economist Eric Schoenberg, as they discuss the psychological implications of inherited wealth and how economic principles might not always align with personal happiness. This enlightening discussion sheds lig...

Len Bias was a star basketball player at the University of Maryland drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1986 and one step away from becoming a pro athlete. Unfortunately, he passed away just two days after being selected but before signing any MBS or sponsorship documents, leaving him and his family just out of reach of the riches he would have gotten due to the timing of his death. With host David Lenok and special guest Steve Lockshin, founder of AdvicePeriod and a co-founder of Vanilla, an estat...

A close-knit network of family businesses, the NFL earns around $200 billion annually. On top of traditional family business within their individual branches, the NFL navigates those same financial planning connections between extended family members as well. Join David Lenok and his guest Alvina Lo, chief wealth strategist at Wilmington Trust, as they delve into the complexities of the NFL as a family business, discussing succession planning, liquidity concerns, trust ownership, and potential p...

When King Charles III was crowned, he had lived a life full of experiences at the age of 74. His heirs equally have lived their lives and made their own decisions, including his son Harry who has taken up residence in the US. This decision will impact how Harry’s inheritance will be taxed after his father passes. In this episode, David Lenok is joined by David Lesperance, of Lesperance and Associates, and Melvin Warshaw, a tax and private client lawyer, in exploring how estate plans work when th...

Uncut Gems star Julia Fox recently went viral for posting a TikTok video showcasing her home, which was modest compared to the extravagant wealth you expect from someone wealthy and famous. Today, many millennials are shifting away from buying luxury homes. In this episode, David Lenok speaks with Kelley Wolfington, Senior Wealth Strategist at SEI Private Wealth Management, on why the housing trend for high-net-worth individuals is shifting and how it reflects the current values passed on to the...

Bob Barker is best known as the beloved host of The Price Is Right, the longest-running game show in American television history. Barker sadly passed away in August 2023. The majority of his estate was donated to forty different animal and military charities, which was no surprise, given his life as a vegetarian and an outspoken animal rights advocate. In this episode, David Lenok speaks with David Handler, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, about adding charitable giving to legacy plans and what sh...

The entertainment industry is a world of buying, selling and competing for the right to use certain intellectual property and work in specific places. Managing the money, and more importantly, the tax implications requires a deft hand. In this episode, David Lenok speaks with Charles Lubar, retired Senior Counsel from McDermott Will & Emery, about his experience working with celebrity clientele and how he helped people like Jim Henson and Michael Jackson navigate tax strategies for their project...

When King Charles III was crowned, he had lived a life full of experiences at the age of 74. His heirs equally have lived their lives and made their own decisions, including his son Harry who has taken up residence in the US. This decision will impact how Harry’s inheritance will be taxed after his father passes. In this episode, David Lenok is joined by David Lesperance, of Lesperance and Associates, and Melvin Warshaw, a tax and private client lawyer, in exploring how estate plans work when th...

Kylie Jenner has been an influential figure since 2010 as a model, business owner and social media personality. The majority of her wealth comes from the sale of 51% of her cosmetics company for an estimated $600 million. In this episode, David Lenok speaks with Brad Franc, Director of Business Law at Houston Harbaugh and author of The Succession Solution, about succession planning for business owners and the next step after leaving the company. Brad discusses: The first steps in building a suc...

Lisa Marie Presley was only 9 years old when her father, Elvis Presley, died and she gained control of his whole estate at the age of 25. When she passed in 2023, her mother, Pricilla Presley, challenged the legitimacy of Lisa Marie’s daughters being named trustees of the trust containing the assets in Lisa Marie’s estate. In this episode, David Lenok talks to Brian Dillon, partner at Lathrop GPM, about the problems that arise when estate documents are suspicious or improperly filed and how thos...

Summary: Uncut Gems star Julia Fox recently went viral for posting a TikTok video showcasing her home, which was modest compared to the extravagant wealth you expect from someone wealthy and famous. Today, many millennials are shifting away from buying luxury homes. In this episode, David Lenok speaks with Kelley Wolfington, Senior Wealth Strategist at SEI Private Wealth Management, on why the housing trend for high-net-worth individuals is shifting and how it reflects the current values passed ...

The Windsors maintain a rigid estate and succession plan that’s been (in some cases, quite literally) written in stone for hundreds of years. With the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II, it’s an opportune time to ask: What can planners learn from such an impossibly rigid, yet simultaneously extremely transparent ‘plan’? In this episode, David Lenok is joined by Tim Volk, Founder and Managing Director of T. Volk and Company, in discussing the repercussions of such a plan, including the importan...

Anne Heche was an actress known for her roles in a variety of genres in film, television and theater, receiving numerous accolades. On her tragic death in August 2022, Heche’s son Homer and her former partner James Tupper fought in court over who would be her estate administrator and guardian of her youngest son Atlas. In this episode, David Lenok is joined by Benazeer “Benny” Roshan, Partner at Greenberg Glusker, in differentiating the roles of trustee and administrator for an estate. They focu...

Pat Bowlen was an American lawyer and partial owner of the Denver Broncos, along with his two brothers and sister. He served as the Broncos CEO until July 2014, when he stepped down due to progressive effects of Alzheimer’s disease, and passed away in 2019. His estate plan was unique due to the family trust in place, with the three trustees taking over in 2014 with the sole purpose of determining the next owner of the team. In this episode, David Lenok is joined by Dan Griffith, senior vice pres...

Named the Greatest Rock Star Ever after his death, David Bowie is a singer, songwriter and actor who left his mark on the world along with a $100 million dollar estate at the time of his death. Recently, his music catalog sold for a reported $250 million, higher than his initial estate value. In this episode, David Lenok is joined by Stacie Jacobson, director of the wealth strategies group at AllianceBernstein, diving into the complexity of a music catalog as an asset for both the seller and buy...

The Douglas family started their legendary Hollywood career with Kirk Douglas in 1946, who had been a major box office star. Michael Douglas later surpassed his father’s great fame, receiving numerous accolades. However, Cameron Douglas, Michael’s son, struggled to continue the family’s Hollywood legacy. In this episode, David Lenok speaks with Dr. Jamie Weiner, Co-Founder of Inheriting Wisdom, on the struggles children face when born into prominent families. Dr. Weiner shares examples of wealth...

Whitney Houston, beloved singer and actress, left her entire estate to her 18-year-old only child Bobby Christina Brown. The wealth transfer was divided into three age-based distributions, with the final transfer scheduled at age 30. However, things got complicated when Brown, too, died at 22 before inheriting her mother’s estate. In this episode, David Lenok is joined by Jennifer Proper, Managing Director of Wealth Strategies at Pitcairn, to discuss the benefits and pitfalls of age provisions ...

Lead vocalist for Queen, Freddie Mercury kept quiet about his love life up until his death in 1991 due to complications from HIV. Since then, LGTBQ+ rights and recognition have led to a more tolerant society, with financial planning following suit. In this episode, David Lenok is joined by Tim Volk, Founder and Managing Director of T. Volk and Company, for a conversation on LGBTQ+ financial planning and creating a healthy environment for clients as a financial advisor. Tim discusses: Some of th...

Vince McMahon Sr. is best known for founding the company that eventually became World Wrestling Entertainment. In a family business, which the WWE very much is, passing down core values can be a struggle as future generations look to create their own paths. In this episode, David Lenok is joined by Kelley Wolfington, Senior Wealth Strategist at SEI Private Wealth Management, in dissecting the idea of inheriting values. She reveals the importance of creating conversations between generations to d...