Highlights

• Anne Heche's net worth was much lower than expected at the time of her death.
• She owed thousands of dollars in bank loans
• Heche also owed her ex-boyfriend Thomas Jane $150K, and her estate was sued for an additional $2 million in damages after her death.

Anne Heche's death was one of the most shocking celebrity stories of 2022. The actress crashed her car into the home of another Los Angeles resident, and died as a result of the injuries she sustained. There was lots of speculation regarding Heche's state of mind at the time of her death, especially when rumors began to surface that she had illicit substances in her system (these rumors have since been disproved).

Heche's death also brought about speculation regarding her net worth. It was assumed that the actress was extremely wealthy due to her numerous roles in film and television, but the legal battle that ensued over her estate revealed that she was worth much less than we all anticipated. Let's break down what happened.

Anne Heche's Net Worth Was Low Because She Owed Thousands Of Dollars In Loans

At the peak of her Hollywood fame, Celebrity Net Worth reports that Anne Heche was worth $4 million. At the time of her death, however, the actress was living in an apartment complex, did not own property, and was believed to have closer to $400K to her name. It was a shocking revelation and one that led fans to question where most of her money had gone.

According to Radar Online, it went towards paying off sizable bank loans. Heche was sued by Citibank on March 3, 2021, for failing to pay back a loan she had taken out on a home in Silver Lake, Los Angeles. She purchased the home for an impressive $1.9 million with her boyfriend at the time, and owed Citibank $62,011.35 as a result. A rep for the bank told the outlet:

"[Heche] had defaulted on the payment arrangement under the conditional settlement agreement."

Heche was ordered to pay $62,011.35 off in installments, and Citibank terms established that she had to pay a minimum of $5,170 per month until May 2022. The Volcano actress had only been able to pay $25K of her debt before her death, however, which led Citibank to request the rest of the $36K from her estate. Heche also owed the bank $977 in court costs.

Heche's financial struggles were made even more puzzling by the fact that her son, Homer Laffoon, claimed that he found over $33K in uncashed royalties when he went through her apartment. Laffoon told Daily Mail that Heche had left behind 27 checks from major studios like Disney, Paramount, and NBCUniversal, with the biggest check being worth $25K.

Anne Heche Owed Her Ex Thomas Jane $150K At The Time Of Her Death

In addition to Citibank, Anne Heche was in the process of paying back her ex-boyfriend, Thomas Jane, when she died. The two actors had purchased the aforementioned house in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, but Jane told People Magazine that he loaned Heche $157K and had yet to recoup most of it by 2022.

Jane was also seeking $18.77 per day in growing interest, which is something that Heche agreed to pay off, once again, in installments. She made a pair of $10K payments to Jane in August and September 2021, but the Deep Blue Sea actor claims that she did not make any "further payments."

According to court documents obtained by People Magazine, the amount that Heche's estate owes Thomas Jane looks like this:

The legal agreement struck between Heche and Jane had a stipulation in which Heche would keep Jane updated on her upcoming film and TV roles, and give him 30% of her income when she received a paycheck larger than $15K.

Heche was vocal about the struggles that she had finding consistent work. In court documents obtained by Hollywood.com, the actress admitted that her career hit a low point between the years 2008 and 2014, which coincides with the period in which she began borrowing money:

"Since January 18, 2008, I have been unemployed and had no income from employment except for one very short-term contract for a movie role for which I received a total of $65,000. I do receive some residuals from previous acting work. However, the amounts are nominal and are offset by recurring business expenses that must be paid whether or not I am working."

Despite continuing to seek payment, Thomas Jane issued a statement to Daily Mail following Heche's death, in which he reflected upon their relationship. "While Anne and I are no longer an item, today's tragic news was devastating to me and to all who love her," he wrote. "My heart goes out to Anne and her two sons."

Anne Heche's Estate Was Sued For An Additional $2 Million After She Died

Anne Heche's oldest son, Homer Laffoon, was given control of Heche's estate following her death, which meant he was given the responsibility of settling the aforementioned debts with Jane and Citibank. Unfortunately, the money issues did not stop there.

Heche's estate was sued for $2 million on November 15, 2022. According to IndieWire, the woman who owned the home in which Heche fatally crashed, Lynne Mishele, wanted "at least $2 million" in damages for negligence, trespass, and infliction of emotional distress. She also pointed to the fact that Heche's car "heavily damaged" her property.

Laffoon has also had to contend with accusations from Heche's ex-boyfriend, James Tupper. Tupper filed an objection against Laffoon on the grounds that he was too young and naive to run Heche's estate, and voiced concern over the disappearance of Heche's jewelry collection, which was reportedly valued at $400K. Tupper also provided the courts with a 2011 email from Heche in which she listed him among her beneficiaries (the email was not officially notarized).

The two men fought over the ownership of Heche's remaining assets, according to Daily Mail. These assets include:

• Heche's bank accounts
• Royalty and residual checks for Heche's TV work
• Earnings from Heche's posthumous memoir
• A corporation in which Heche was the sole shareholder
• The LLC earnings from Heche's podcast

A settlement has not yet been reached between Mishele and the Heche estate, but Laffoon has been given sole control of said estate against Tupper's wishes. Tupper's objection was ignored by the court on the grounds that it "did not make sense", which means Laffoon will receive the income from all the assets listed above.