Good grief, no will - Page 3

Q4u · ‎03-17-2010

There are very superstitious people in this world who donate and give plenty while they are alive without any publicity but the act of preparing and signing a will is considered bad luck and they don't even want to think about it, so they don't. It's a shame for the family but I'm sure Ms. Franklin handled things the way that made her most comfortable.

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*

elruth · ‎03-13-2010

I was surprised to hear she was pregnant at age 12 and had 2 children by the time she was 14.

queendiva · ‎03-12-2010

Depending on state laws, the government will also benefit in a big way from her estate not having a will.

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

@Just Bling wrote:
The only people who will benefit from her death will be the lawyers.

The one lawyer was quoted that he tried, well, he didn't try hard enough nor do I believe he wanted to. If everything was done ahead of time, his share would be greatly reduced as to how much he will be charging now.

You can't make someone sign a Will who doesn't want to.

I can also tell you that our firm would much rather deal with an estate where there is a Will than one without. All the way around that is a major headache and hassle.

But depending on how things were set up, maybe she didn't really need a Will. Maybe she has everything in a Trust? Maybe everything was in survivorship form or payalbe on death, had named beneficiaries so it would pass outside of probate.

Will or no Will when you have that kind of money, the federal government is going to take their share. Michigan does not have an estate tax so for that purpose, whether she had a Will or not doesn't matter. Actually even if they had an estate tax it wouldn't matter.

I think there are still people under the assumption that if you die without a Will, the state gets your money.

esmerelda · ‎03-10-2010

When I heard she died without a will, I thought "how irresponisble." Especially since she'd been ill for so long. The story went on to say her four sons will share her $80 million equally. So I guess she figured she didn't need to put anything in writing. Maybe if she had, she would have divided it differently. This way, no chance she'll look like the bad mom playing favorites.

*********************
Keepin' it real.

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

Maybe all her assets are jointly owned and/or trusts are set up for all her children.

No will needed.

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh

RainCityWoman · ‎06-16-2015

@beckyb1012 wrote:
If she died Intestate then the laws/statutes of her state must be followed for distribution of her Estate. Still the attorney retained will make more for filing a Dependent Administration Probate as opposed to an Independent Administration. If they even choose to probate her Estate. Her children (if no spouse) may decide just to follow the law of her State.

In my state, any estate that involves real estate MUST be probated. My mom died in a nursing home but had a piece of land. Even though there was nothing else of value, I was forced to probate because of that piece of land, and the legal costs were taken out of the proceeds of the land.

Isobel Archer · ‎04-04-2015

@YorkieonmyPillow wrote:
@chrystaltree How do you know she didn't leave special things to her friends or charities? She may have distributed all that before she passed.
She was worth 80 million, is what I heard.
I don't know why she wouldn't do a will - maybe she was afraid if she made a will, someone would bump her off.
Some people have odd beliefs (if it IS odd).
She had her purse with her within sight when she performed, else she wouldn't go onstage.

She took her purse onstage???? Seriously??? She was that concerned that people would steal from her? Wow.

goldensrbest · ‎03-10-2010

I thought it was odd myself, but her lawyer said he tried to get her to do one many times.

When you lose some one you L~O~V~E, that Memory of them, becomes a TREASURE.

kivah · ‎03-11-2010

A friend's father died a few years ago and didn't leave a Will. He had 2 daughters in their 40s - so it would have been so easy to make a Will. He also had a prior heart attack --- and it cost my friend $80,000 in attorney fees and took a couple of years. So STUPID of her father. I really don't get it.

I had cancer 12 yrs ago and immediately had a Trust set up.