There is always a fascination with celebrity deaths and what they leave in their Wills. This fascination generally stems from an interplay of human emotions, curiosity, cultural influences, and the desire to understand and connect with the lives of those who have achieved fame and recognition. Moreover, disputes following a celebrity's death are not uncommon and can arise for various reasons, often involving complex legal, financial, and emotional issues. Take for example:
Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse tragically passed away in 2011, aged just 27. She did not have a valid Will in place, meaning her estate was to pass under the Rules of Intestacy. Amy had recently divorced and did not have any children, which meant her assets were to be split between her mother and father. This caused controversy within Amy’s friendship group and her fanbase, as it was well-documented that Amy’s relationship with her parents was strained. Amy’s ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, attempted to make a claim of £1 million from her estate which was unsuccessful. The assets were split between her parents.
Bob Marley
Bob Marley died in 1981 at the young age of 36. He also did not have a valid Will in place. Under Jamaican law, his $30 million estate should have gone to his wife and children. Several people attempted to make a claim on the estate, which saw his wife endure a ten year legal battle which cost millions in fees.
John Lennon
When John Lennon tragically died in 1980, he left behind an estate worth more than £220 million. The famous Beatle’s member had a valid Will which named his wife, Yoko Ono, and their son as beneficiaries. But John’s son from his first marriage was not mentioned in the Will, and he challenged this, leading to a legal battle lasting 16 years and resulting in him receiving an out-of-court settlement of around £20 million.
George Michael
George Michael died at the end of 2016. The singer’s estate was reportedly worth £97 million, and he did have a valid Will which named his beneficiaries as his father, sister and close friends. However, George’s ex-partner, Kenny Goss, claimed he was financially dependent on George and requested a monthly payment of £15,000 under the Provisions for Family and Dependents Act 1975. A settlement of an undisclosed amount was made.
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis died in 2010 and was buried with some of his favourite possessions - including a Stetson hat, an Armani scarf and his iPhone but he did not leave a single penny to any of his five children (including acclaimed actress Jamie Lee Curtis). Just a few months before he died, he rewrote his Will leaving the bulk of his estimated $60m estate to his fifth wife, Jill Curtis. Tony's eldest daughter attempted to sue, but was rejected by the court.
Michael Jackson
Since the death of the King of Pop in June 2009, his family have been embroiled in a plethora of legal and financial disputes. His siblings were upset that they were left out of the Will and so some of them joined together to write and sign a letter claiming the Will to be fake. In 2012 they asked the executors of the estate to resign, however one of the signatories, Jermaine Jackson, later retracted his signature.
There was also a lot of arguing over the custody of Jackson’s three children: Prince, Paris and Blanket. Their grandmother, and Michael’s mum, was named legal guardian, but briefly lost her guardianship when she went missing for a short period of time in August 2012. After a bit of mishap she was later reinstated as guardian.
Jimi Hendrix
In 1970 Jimi Hendrix joined the infamous ‘27’ club when he passed away in a hotel in Kensington, London. The guitar legend died with an estate valued at over $80m, but without having made a Will. The battle over the estate has pitted his half-brother against his adopted sister.
A California attorney had control over Hendrix’s estate until 1995 when his father, Al, sued for the right to his son’s music. When Al died in 2002 most of the estate’s control was transferred to Jimi’s adopted sister, Janie, at the wish of Al.
This was much to the dislike of Jimi’s half-brother, Leon, who had been left out of the Will altogether. Leon demanded to be written back into the Will, stating that Janie had manipulated her father. It all turned rather sour; Janie claiming that Leon was a drug abuser, Leon claiming Janie spent $1.7m on her credit card.
So how did it end up? The Superior Court upheld Al’s Will and Leon was left excluded.
Robin Williams
After the death of actor and comedian Robin Williams, his Will resulted in a legal dispute between his 3 children and his wife. He had left all of his $100 million estate to his children with the addition that his wife would get to live in the house in Tiburon, and the children would inherit it after her death.
Even though his Will was very clear as to what his wishes were, his family members got into a dispute as to how the estate should be distributed. His Will was very specific regarding his money and his house but vague when it came to things that were in the house he shared with his wife.
A bitter and expensive legal battle followed this dispute over the division of his estate. His clothes, his graphics novels, photographs, and other memorabilia caused significant disputes between each child and his wife.
Williams’s widow claimed that the things in the house, such as all his personal items should not be included in the list of the items that were to be given to the children. The matter was settled out of court in 2015.
These conflicts may be infamous, but their situation is not unique. Plenty of inheritance squabbles have escalated among significantly less wealthy and well-known families, whether due to rewritten Wills, or not having a Will at all. Disputes can happen in any family and it doesn't just apply to the rich and famous. Here are our top 5 tips on how to avoid disputes following your death.
Firstly, make a Will. Wills aren't just for the rich or the elderly. If you want to look after your kids, your pets or even just leave money to a charitable cause close to your heart, then make sure you write a Will. Some people admit to procrastinating, whilst others will think they do not have enough wealth to leave behind. But stalling puts your loved ones at risk and as can be seen can create ugly disputes long after you're gone. I expect you're thinking that this wouldn't apply to you and your family, however, it is impossible to predict how people will react when a lynchpin in the family dies and unfortunately, greed among some individuals can be a reality.
Keep a list of your assets, including things like your home, your car, any bank accounts and investments, as well as insurance policies. Next, do the same with your debts, such as mortgages, credit cards and loans. This will make life so much easier for your loved ones. With the world becoming more and more digital everyday and the prevalence of a paperless system, it can make it really difficult for your loved ones to know with some certainty what assets they need to deal with. The best way is to record the basic information, keep it up-to-date and store it somewhere safe and where it can be easily found, perhaps along side your Will.
Choose who is to inherit. To avoid major disputes between your loved ones in the future, it's important to name beneficiaries in your Will. This could include family members, friends, charities, a business or a Trust but make sure you're specific about who gets what, and when. You can even include provision to look after your pets, which a fund for their upkeep. Remember, we have testamentary freedom in this country and so you're free to leave your assets to whomever you choose. If you think that someone will feel left out or disgruntled, then it might help to record the reasons behind your wishes in case of a dispute later on.
Be selective as to who is going to be responsible for winding up your affairs. Make sure it's someone you trust and who will want to make sure your wishes are carried out. This will be your executor and they are ultimately responsible for making sure your beneficiaries receive their inheritance. If you do not appoint someone, then the law will decide who this should be and it might end up being someone you wouldn't have wanted,
Keep your Will under review. As much as we, as professional Will Writers try to draft Wills to allow for changes in circumstances, its impossible for anyone to predict what the future might hold. Therefore, it is recommended to keep your Will under review and make changes where necessary. This could be because of divorce or new additions to the family, or a loved one passing away.
Remember that even with the best planning, disputes can still arise. Taking these steps can significantly reduce the likelihood of conflicts and provide greater peace of mind for both you and your loved ones.
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