A Will is all it takes!
We help you keep your promises to the ones you love.
The distress of not having a will
Avicii
Avicii died by his own hand in 2018, with assets in Sweden and the US but no will. He had been a huge charitable donor but none of his estate went to good causes.
His parents inherited in Sweden but it cost millions in legal fees and taxes in the US to finalise his affairs.
Avicii
Stieg Larsson
Another Swede was Stieg Larsson, author of the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
Dying will-less meant his partner got nothing from his estate. Legal action followed and the conflict between Eva and the family was never resolved, given Swedish law did not recognise her as his legal partner.
Stieg Larsson
Heath Ledger
When Heath Ledger died his will was out of date and left nothing to his daughter, living with his estranger partner in the US.
Fortunately in this case the families amicably agreed a settlement, but that friendliness is missing more often than not when lucrative inheritances are at stake.
Heath Ledger
Pablo Picasso
Picasso's estate was more complicated than his paintings, taking $30m to settle in the 1970s which, given inflation, might be a record in legal costs.
Dying will-less, he left 5 children by 4 different mothers, and disputes over title on $250m in assets.
Not a great legacy.
Pablo Picasso
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin did leave a will... in fact FOUR of them, one even found under cushions on her couch.
The legal actions are still going on today though she died in 2018.
A genuine Queen of Soul, she did no favours for her family when she passed on.
Aretha Franklin
Bob Marley
Bob died in 1981 with no will due to his personal beliefs. He had eleven children with seven different women and his wealth was passed on under intestacy law.
Some of his family challenged the distribution and decades of legal action followed. Today some of his children manage the estate and its income.
Bob Marley
Peter Brock
Peter Brock had 3 wills when he died, but the final one was unsigned. As usual legal action ensued and Brock's view was revealed that a will was not a priority for him as he would no longer be around.
Another case of leaving a mess for loved ones to clean up.
Peter Brock
Marin Luther King
Over 40 years after his death two of King's children took legal action against a sibling to gain possession of his Nobel Prize and his personal bible.
MLK died intestate but this example shows that gifting heirlooms by will can be essential to avoid disputes - even those years after death.
Martin Luther King
Prince
Prince died will-less in 2016. It took 6 years, millions in legal fees and dozens of court visits to settle the estate - in August 2022. Some of his siblings will reputedly never talk to each other again.
Family conflict is often the result of intestacy, for both superstars and normal people .
