Brokeback Mountain Star Heath Ledger Dead at 28

Oscar-nominated actor Heath Ledger died today in his Manhattan apartment from an apparent pill overdose, he was 28. The Australian native leaves behind a two-year old daughter, Matilda Rose, whom he shared custody of with his former finance actress Michelle Williams. Widely recognized for his Best Actor-caliber performance of a gay cowboy in 2005’s Brokeback Mountain, Ledger will appear as the Joker in this summer’s Batman blockbuster, The Dark Knight. However the status of his current movie project, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, is unclear at this time, as is the state of Ledger’s financial estate.

Experts say that no matter how young and vibrant you feel, it is always important to have a will, even more so when you have dependents. “People should start writing a will as soon as they are out and on their own making a living and having their own savings,” said Professor William LaPiana of the Graduate Tax Program at New York Law School. “Especially people making $100,000 or more.”

If you do not already have an attorney, ask for a referral from your local Bar Association, suggests Michael Premisler, a New York-based attorney. Premisler says you should expect to spend between 3 to 5 hours with an attorney and recommends his clients begin with a minimum budget of about $750 to create a will. William A. Hartley, an estates and trust attorney in Bedford, New Hampshire completes wills in a few days for about $400.

“Go to an experienced attorney. If you go online a will costs $50 to $100, but they are risky because they aren’t state specific. If the execution isn’t right the will won’t hold up,” said Hartley.