The vast majority of his estate was left to his ex-partner Mimi O’Donnell who bore his three children. In particular, the will sets up a trust fund for his son Cooper, his first child with O’Donnell. Hoffman, who himself was raised in Western New York, expressed his profound desire that the child be raised in close proximity to the borough of Manhattan. Alternatively, the child could be raised in Chicago, Illinois, or San Francisco, California.The purpose for his son being raised in either of the three major cities is because of the diversity of their culture, architecture, and arts.
The document was read in Surrogates Court in the first weeks after the actor passed away. If it seems curious he did not mention the other two daughters he had with O’Donnell or why he would leave his ex-partner in charge of the estate, it is because his will was signed back in 2004. Apparently, Hoffman did what many others have done which is to not regularly update his will to keep current with the changes in his life. Hoffman and O’Donnell split up in 2013.
