Celebrity offspring sharply excluded from huge family inheritances — and the startling explanations behind it.

The article discusses the trend of wealthy heirs squandering or not receiving their inheritances, highlighting a number of notable cases among America’s affluent families.

1. Historical Context: The legacy of wealthy families often involves heirs who either mismanage or do not receive their inheritances, dating back to early American billionaires like John D. Rockefeller and Cornelius Vanderbilt.

2. Vanderbilt Example: Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt, the grandfather of journalist Anderson Cooper, squandered much of the Vanderbilt fortune, a testament to the frequent disputes and losses surrounding inherited wealth.

3. The Astor Scandals: The Astor family highlights two notable inheritance disputes. One involved Charlotte Augusta Astor, disinherited due to an extramarital affair, and the other saw Brooke Astor, a philanthropist, victimized by her son who manipulated her will.

4. Tori Spelling’s Reduced Inheritance: Tori Spelling, daughter of producer Aaron Spelling, received a significantly reduced inheritance of around $800,000, as her father feared she would mismanage a larger sum.

5. J. Seward Johnson’s Will: Johnson, a descendant of the Johnson & Johnson founder, disinherited his children in favor of his widow, leading to a legal battle over his estate.

6. Joan Crawford’s Estrangement: Actress Joan Crawford famously excluded her children from her will, citing reasons for their disinheritance, which spurred confrontational memoirs from her daughter Christina.

7. Paris Hilton’s Disinheritance: Paris Hilton’s great-grandfather left the majority of his estate to charity, reflecting concerns over the younger Hilton generation’s lifestyle decisions.

8. Modern Estate Strategies: Experts discuss how wealthy families use trusts and wills to manage inheritances. Structures like “incentive trusts” may tie distributions to heirs’ achievements or behaviors, promoting responsible financial habits.

This exploration of inheritance issues illustrates a recurring theme: wealth does not guarantee responsible stewardship, and family legacies can be fraught with conflict.