Fans Worry Over Hayden Panettiere's Fortune As Her Estate Could Face A 'Legal Maze'

In the wake of the sad passing of Hayden Panettiere, many have begun to wonder about the late actor's will and who might be included in it. Many fans have expressed hopes that her daughter, Kaya Klitschko, would be the sole beneficiary, but experts say there could be a ton of ins and outs. 

We'll start by pointing out that there is some debate over what Panettiere's net worth was at the time of her passing. While Celebrity Net Worth has estimated the number to be around $6 million, Radar reported that it was closer to $15 million. Either way, there's a lot of money on the line, and with Panettiere being just 36 when she died, it's not clear if she had a will drafted. Granted, that wouldn't be the end of the world, particularly where Kaya is concerned. In fact, attorneys speaking to People pointed out that because Panettiere lived in California, her money would automatically go to the actor's daughter. "Under California law, if you're a California resident, they give you what I refer to as a free will. You don't have to pay for it. Everybody's got a will who lives in California, and your property goes to your heirs," Marc M. Stern told the outlet. "Her daughter would receive everything," another lawyer, Jonathan Forster, said. 

Granted, Stern also acknowledged there being some drawbacks to the "free will." He noted, "The California estate can't go to a minor, and it's going to have to go to some sort of protective vehicle for the daughter until she reaches the age of 18." He also said, "The issue with a California guardianship of the estate is that it's a public proceeding ... and so people will know what the assets are and where they go."

Of course, there is also a possibility that Hayden Panettiere did have a will and had even set up a trust for Kaya Klitschko. Jonathan Forster said there are a ton of benefits in that, like not needing court guardianship of the estate. Marc M. Stern also addressed the benefits of a trust, referring again to a California guardianship being so public and saying it would have been a great way for Panettiere to "shield her daughter."

As for who might be tasked with managing Panettiere's estate or Kaya's trust until she comes of age, Stern told People the actor's ex Wladimir Klitschko was probably "the natural choice" as Kaya's father. That said, in the event that there wasn't a will or trust, the fact that Wladimir and Kaya live in Europe (it's not clear where, though Panettiere did once clarify that her daughter didn't live in Wladimir's native Ukraine) could also pose some additional headaches. "The amounts going to her daughter would need to be held in a court-supervised guardianship here in California, since that is where the assets are held, even though the daughter lives abroad," Foster said.

The general consensus among Panettiere's fans is that they hope Kaya is provided for, with one People reader commenting, "I hope she had her estate in order. But if not her daughter would be her primary beneficiary so that's fine." Over on social media, others mused that they just hoped Panettiere's mother, whom the actor was known to be estranged from, would not benefit. As an aside, it's worth noting that another lawyer who spoke to People didn't think it was likely unless Panettiere's parents were specifically provided for in her will. Ultimately, wrapping up estates is never easy, and we're hoping the process is as seamless as it can be.