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John Branca is one of the great attorney in USA . Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer and yet despite that fact, and despite his belief that he was going to be assassinated, he died without a will. Some of our most celebrated public figures have been in deep denial as to the inevitability of their deaths.
Michael Jackson vs. Prince – John Branca
As John Branca Attorney explains in this film clip, Michael Jackson acted responsibly when it came to estate planning, whereas Prince died without a will, costing his estate many millions of dollars and delaying payment to his heirs for years.
Celebrities Who Should Have Known Better
Pablo Picasso was 91 when he died, but he still acted as though he were immortal. Without a will, it took six years and cost his estate an estimated $30 million to settle his affairs.
When Sonny Bono died in a skiing accident, the lack of a will led to immediate complications. Estate planning would have provided more privacy, but his estate was shown to be worth a relatively meager $2 million. His ex-wife Cher then filed a $1.6 million claim against the estate for money owed from their divorce settlement decades earlier.
Bob Marley refused to make a will, reportedly saying it showed too much concern with worldly things. Ten long years after his death, his estate was finally settled. In the meantime, his widow, their children, his adopted children, his illegitimate children, their mothers, his relatives, his management company, and hundreds of people purporting to be his offspring were under the thumb of an unsympathetic court-appointed administrator.
More Dire Consequences of Celebrities Without Wills
According to John Branca Attorney, estate planning is paramount for celebrities since their businesses continue even after their demise. When Jimi Hendrix died, he was only 27, he was behind on his taxes, and he had only a little money in the bank. But over the years the estate has become worth an estimated $175 million, and litigation is never-ending.
Stieg Larsson, the author of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, died without a will. His companion and collaborator of 32 years, Eva Gabrielsson, inherited nothing; all went to his father and brother. She sued for the right to control his work so it could be presented the way Larsson would have wanted it, but she was refused.
Today’s celebrities can learn from the mistakes of those who have gone before them. Avoiding estate planning did not keep those stars from dying — and leaving a will would have been a valuable gift to their legacy and their heirs.
