This is the second part of our series examining Philip Seymour Hoffman’s estate plan.

In the wake of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s untimely death, his estate planning documents have given us some insight into the actor and father of three. Hoffman’s estate plan was executed in 2004 and his will included some unique requests.*

Hoffman requested that the guardian of his children raise his oldest child, his son Cooper, in Manhattan, Chicago or San Francisco. He stated that “If my guardian cannot reside in any of such cities, then it is my strong desire, and not direction, that my son, Cooper Hoffman, visit these cities at least twice per year throughout such guardianship.”  And the reason that Hoffman preferred these cities? “[S]o that my son will be exposed to the culture, arts and architecture that such cities offer.”

Hoffman’s will serves as a reminder that a will can be about more than just money and property. Your will can be a place to memorialize your wishes for your family, pets, property, or anything else your desire. Although wishes like Hoffman’s are not legally binding, your family may appreciate the chance to act on your desires in your absence.  Your words could help your family make tough decisions in the future.

Hoffman’s will is a great reminder to get creative with our estate planning documents, for our family’s sake. If you’re interested in updating the language in your will, or would like to learn more about estate planning in general, call Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri to schedule a free half-hour consultation. Our attorneys are passionate about estate planning and have decades of experience handling complex estate planning matters, including wills and living trusts. If you are interested in developing an estate plan or reviewing your current estate plan, contact the experienced estate planning attorneys at Lonich Patton Erlich Policastri for further information.

Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results.  While this post may detail general legal issues, it is not legal advice.  Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

*Read the original article that inspired this post, after the jump: http://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/philip-seymour-hoffman-s-will-revealed–did-not-want-son-raised-in-los-angeles-220210762.html