The recent untimely passing of iconic musician Prince (Prince Rogers Nelson) has brought up a very important question once again – HAVE YOU MADE YOUR WILL?
Prince did not have Will (intestate) and now his estate is in chaos. Bremer Trust, National Association has been appointment by the Court as a special administrator.
Without a Will, division of Prince’s estate (estimated at the time of death to be $300 million – and growing) will be argued by the family and numerous attorneys, but will ultimately be decided by the Court.
However, is this what he wanted for his legacy? Had Prince had a Will, he could have decided exactly who he wanted to receive his estate, whether it be his siblings or a charity (Prince was known to be very active Jehovah’s Witness).
Is this what you want for your family and loved ones - to leave them in chaos during a difficult time?
This is not the first famous person to die with a Will. Most notable celebrities who have died without a Will are:
Prince did not have Will (intestate) and now his estate is in chaos. Bremer Trust, National Association has been appointment by the Court as a special administrator.
Without a Will, division of Prince’s estate (estimated at the time of death to be $300 million – and growing) will be argued by the family and numerous attorneys, but will ultimately be decided by the Court.
However, is this what he wanted for his legacy? Had Prince had a Will, he could have decided exactly who he wanted to receive his estate, whether it be his siblings or a charity (Prince was known to be very active Jehovah’s Witness).
Is this what you want for your family and loved ones - to leave them in chaos during a difficult time?
This is not the first famous person to die with a Will. Most notable celebrities who have died without a Will are:
- Howard Hughes – no Will. Various forged Wills were presented dragging out an estate battle for years.
- Martin Luther King – no Will. Family has been fighting over his estate and legacy since his death in 1968.
- James Brown – had an outdated Will that did not reflect his marriage or his youngest child. This estate has been in litigation since his death in 2006.
- Bob Marley – no Will. Family fought over his estate for decades.
- Steve McNair – have several drafts made of his Will but never executed a Will. His widow sued his mother over a house she lived in (purchased by Steve McNair) for over 13 years.
- Philip Seymour Hoffman – had an outdated Will that left out two of his children that were born after the execution of the Will.
- Heath Ledger – outdated Will that left out his young daughter and left his estate to his parents and sisters. After a public battle between is father and uncles, it was finally agreed that his estate would go to his daughter.
- Barry White – no Will. His estranged Wife received his estate leaving out his live-in girlfriend.
- Other noteworthy celebrities who did not have a Will include: Abraham Lincoln, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse.