Fame in Hollywood comes with a lot of blessings and a rather large bank account but have you ever wondered where all the money goes once these stars pass away.
If they’ve planned their finances well during their lives, their estates are often inherited by family and loved ones, but a lack of planning can leave a lot of confusion and expensive legal battles between potential heirs.
Over the past year, we’ve mourned the loss of several talented artists, including Aretha Franklin who allegedly died without a will. But she wasn’t the only one who chose to leave her estate without an heir.
Michael Jackson
At the time of his death, Michael Jackson’s net worth was in millions, but surprisingly, the king of pop left the world without appointing an heir for his estate.
However, seven years after his tragic death, Jackson’s family discovered a will he had written years ago which appointed his mother Katherine as the rightful claimant of his estate as well as the guardian of his children.
Prince
Jackson wasn’t the only music legend who died without a will. When Prince passed away in 2016 at the age of 57, his family was left scrambling over the $200 million estate he left behind.
Many people filed petitions to be claim a piece of Prince’s estate, many of them claimed to be related to him either by blood or a marital contract. In the end, the singer’s six siblings were appointed the rightful heirs of the $200 million.
Bob Marley
A lack of will seems to be a common theme among music icons, and continuing this trend is late Bob Marley who earned millions from his singing-songwriting career but left it all behind without a will. However, as per the local law in his country, the money will be distributed among the Jamaican cultural icon’s wife and 11 kids.
Kurt Cobain
Speaking of cultural icons, Kurt Cobain was one of the biggest names in the music industry whose death came as a shock to die-hard Nirvana fans.
At the time of his passing, Cobain was worth $450 million, so naturally, the issue of his estate inheritance made headlines in the news.
The singer didn’t leave a comprehensive will but he did want his wife Courtney Love not included in it. The charge of his estate was eventually given to the couple’s daughter Frances Bean after she turned 18.
