With Dire Financial Consequences
The article Celebrities Who Died Without a Will delves into the dire financial consequences that their grieving families have to bear due to negligence in documenting their wills before dying.
It was the very first time in 1984, pinpointed by a lawyer that people were reluctant to document their wills because of their natural fear of speculating about death and the tension associated with property rights and the family. According to research, the inability to write a will leads to financial loss for the bereaved family in the form of an attorney fee, avoidable taxes, and lawsuits but the cost gets manifold in the case of celebrities.
Here is the list of celebrities who died without a will:
Prince Roger Nelson
One of the most notable musicians among celebrities who died without a will is Prince. He died at the age of 57 without leaving a will for his bereaving family. He owned property worth $300 million for his immediate family but his negligence in writing a will resulted instead in a disturbing fight over his estate. The deserving heirs were siblings but legal fees to divide the assets gobbled substantial fees.
Aretha Franklin
Another Singer and musician among celebrities who died without a will is Aretha Franklin. At the age of 76, she passed away without leaving any official will. However, the discovery of her handwritten wills complicated the situation by causing legal disputes on $80 million worth of estate among her four sons which is still going on to determine the validity of the will.
Amy Winehouse
The third celebrity singer among the celebrities who died without a will is Amy Winehouse. At the bare age of 27, she died in 2011 leaving behind an estate worth $4.66 million. She also didn’t leave any will behind her, however, the net worth was inherited by her parents and didn’t result in any significant legal battles.
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Pablo Picasso
An eminent artist among the celebrities who died without a will passed away at the age of 91, in 1973. It took six years and quite a fortune to resolve the legal and administrative battles among his children and grandchildren. His assets included artwork and real estate assets.
Bob Marley
Bob Marley is a Reggae legend who died at the age of 36 in 1981. His estate was valued at $30 million but he died without leaving any documented well with the result that his family and business associates had been involved in legal battles to claim his assets as his music kept on generating invaluable income due to royalties and deals struck for licensing.
Jimi Hendrix
Another iconic guitarist Jimi Hendrix is also one of the celebrities who died without a will, at the age of a mere 27 in 1970 leaving behind any will. Due to the significantly growing value of his estate, the property has remained a factor in feuds among family members to date.
Although, it is always difficult to speculate your death no matter what the age, writing one always saves the trouble-bereaved family and also reduces the chances for disputes, enmity, and legal expenses.
