Prince's Legacy - Did he leave a Will?

City Pages

At the age of 57, Prince died unexpectedly in his home at Paisley Park.  He left fans worldwide in shock and sadness, but he also left behind his estate that is reportedly worth at least $250 million. And his could be worth even more with his posthumously sold albums. In the four days after he passed, he sold 650,000 albums (both digital and physical), according to Nielsen Music. 
 
The questions that now remain are who will have control of his estate? Who will make the decisions about his unreleased recordings? Who will inherit his real estate? His earnings?
 
According to The New York Times, Prince died intestate, meaning without a will. His sister, Tyka Nelson, filed court documents with the Carver County District Court in Minnesota to request the Court to appoint a special administrator to preserve Prince’s estate until a personal representative is appointed.  Shortly after, Bremer Trust, NA, a corporate trust company, was appointed by the Court, giving the company authority to manage and supervise Prince's assets and identify his heirs. 
 
Ms. Nelson’s court petition state that Prince died without a current spouse, kids, or surviving parents.  She also states in the documents that “I do not know of the existence of a will.”
 
If no will or other estate planning documents turn up, Prince’s surviving family members (ie. Ms. Nelson and his half-siblings) may have to go through a costly, drawn-out family battle over his financial estate and his legacy.  Because of a lack of estate planning, it is likely more than half of his estate will be paid in estate taxes and legal fees in order to determine who will inherit.  
 
Putting an estate plan is so important to protect your loved ones and to save them the time, headache, and money in handling your estate.  Please make sure you and your family have some kind of planning in place in case something happens to you.