Celebrity Estate Lesson — Ivana Trump

Ivana Trump was probably best known as the first wife of Donald Trump and mother of Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric Trump. But the breakup between her and her ex-husband was anything but amicable. So, when she passed in July 2022, there wasn’t much of a question about whether or not he’d get any of her inheritance.

At the time of her death, Ivana’s net worth was estimated to be $34 million. What happened to the money? Here’s the breakdown:

Her three children are set to get the bulk of the funds, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

The next biggest beneficiary is Dorothy Curry, a long-time employee of the family. She started as a nanny, and then transitioned to be Ivana’s assistant once the children had grown up. Curry is set to inherit a condo in Florida and Tiger Trump, Ivana’s Yorkshire terrier.

There was also a provision in the Will for her fourth and final husband, Rossano Rubicondi, whom she divorced in 2009. She intended to leave him a house in St. Tropez. However, he predeceased her in 2021.

Lastly is the house left to her somewhat mysterious friend Evelyne Galet. Reporters were unable to find out who exactly Galet is. We do know one thing, though, she is the owner of a property on St. Tropez. (This is a different property than the one set to go to Rubicondi, which makes sense. After all, who doesn’t need multiple houses in a town less than 5 square miles?)

Her clothes, excepting the furs, went to the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

Although she lived in multiple states, she claimed Florida as her official residence for tax reasons. If she really wanted to avoid taxes, she should have created a Trust instead of just having a Will. While she specified that her estate’s assets should cover the expected $8.7 million in taxes, she may have been able to avoid any taxes being paid at all.