The late actor Mickey Rooney can finally rest in peace, now that his ex-wife reached an agreement with his estate regarding the burial plan.
Rooney, who died in April at age 93, expressed interest in being buried somewhere with a connection to Hollywood film stars, but his estranged ex-wife, Jan Rooney, believed that the actor should be buried at a family plot near Hollywood, according to the New York Daily News.
The now-diffused legal battle may leave fans wondering if burial plans should be included as part of a will.
Mickey Rooney's Will
While it appears that Rooney's most recent will didn't specify his burial wishes, it did omit all eight of his surviving children. The only beneficiary listed in the will is a stepson, Mark Aber, who served as Rooney's caregiver before the actor passed away, reports the Daily News.
Prior to his death, Rooney had sought a voluntary conservatorship to get away from an allegedly abusive stepson, Chris Aber. So perhaps that's one of the reasons why Rooney decided to draft a new will leaving his entire estate to Mark.
Omitting relatives you don't want from your will is always an option. But to do so, it is vital to make your intentions clear and to revoke all prior wills. Most adult children won't have grounds to contest a will if they're explicitly excluded. But vague or absent language can cause drawn out and expensive legal battles that can drain your estate.
What About Burial Plans?
Although burial plans can be included in a will, it's strongly recommended that they're not. This is because your body isn't considered "property" so it can't be part of your estate. So any burial preferences expressed in a will may not be carried out.
The best method is to be like Rooney and let your estate planning attorney, executor, beneficiaries, or close friends and family members know about your burial plans. This way, they can make the best decision for you. For Rooney, he told Mark and his conservator that he wanted to be buried somewhere with a connection to either Hollywood film stars or military veterans, Rooney's lawyer told the Daily News. According to the burial agreement, Rooney will be buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
The new burial agreement also states that Jan, Chris Aber, and Aber's wife won't be allowed to attend any memorial or burial events.
