Rob Reiner’s Son Nick Reiner May Get Nothing From His Parents’ Estate
The December 14 murder of actor-director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, has left Hollywood and their families reeling. It’s also raised questions about who will inherit their assets, and whether their son, Nick Reiner, who has been charged with their murders, could be a beneficiary of an estate estimated to be worth $200 million or more.
‘Slayer statute’ stands in the way of accused killer inheriting Rob and Michele Reiner’s estate
Sorting out the Reiners’ estate will depend on a number of factors, estate attorney Gideon Alper of Alper Law explained in an email. That includes whether the Stand By Me director and his spouse had an estate plan, whether assets were held in trusts, and other factors. But there’s a good chance that Nick, 32, will be barred from inheriting due to California’s “slayer statute.”
That law – which is similar to ones in many other states – prevents a person from financially benefiting from a death they “feloniously and intentionally” caused. They can be excluded from inheriting under a will, trust, or intestacy law, and can also be prevented from acting as an executor, trustee, or beneficiary of life insurance proceeds.
Slayer statutes have prevented a number of notorious criminals from inheriting their victims’ wealth, including Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were found guilty of killing their parents. Convicted murderer Scott Peterson was also unable to claim his wife Laci Peterson’s $250,000 life insurance policy, notes Trust & Will.
Nick Reiner doesn’t have to be found guilty to be excluded from the Reiners’ estate
Crucially, determining whether the slayer statue applies can occur in civil court proceedings that are separate from a criminal trial, Alper noted. That means inheritance questions can be settled even while a criminal case is ongoing
“Criminal courts decide punishment. Probate courts decide entitlement,” Alper explained. “Families are often surprised to learn that inheritance issues don’t automatically pause while a criminal case plays out. Estate administration can raise its own legal questions about who is entitled to receive assets, and courts are specifically empowered to prevent someone from profiting from a death they caused.”
In addition to Nick, the Reiners had two other children: Jake Reiner and Romy Reiner; Rob Reiner also had an adopted daughter, Tracy Reiner, from his first marriage to Penny Marshall. All could be beneficiaries of the Reiners’ estate.
The Reiner family tragedy is a reminder that estate planning can help make things easier for survivors after an immense loss, Alper noted. While many parents assume their assets will simply pass to their children, things can quickly become complicated, particularly in extreme scenarios.
“Estate planning isn’t about predicting tragedy,” Alper said. “It’s about removing uncertainty if the unthinkable happens.”
For more news and exclusive interviews, follow Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Instagram.
