Prince Rogers Nelson (better known as Prince) made headlines recently when his sister filed documents claiming that the entertainer died without a will. As hard as that might be to believe, it’s not all that unusual. According to a 2015 Rocket Lawyer survey, 64% of Americans don’t have a will. Not surprisingly, the number is higher for younger Americans (70% those aged 45-54) than for older Americans (54% those aged 55-64 do not have a Will). Prince was 57.
Of those surveyed without a will, most (60%) indicated they simply haven’t gotten around to making one yet while just over a quarter (27%) don’t feel that it’s urgent. Why put it off? It’s depressing for one: folks don’t like to think about wills because it forces them to think about their own death. It’s also viewed as costly: people believe that lawyers are expensive and those same folks often underestimate the value of their assets, thinking that they don’t have much to distribute.
Typically, a will spells out who will serve as the executor as well as who will receive assets belonging to the decedent and under what terms. If you die without a will, you are considered intestate. Under intestacy laws, the distribution of your assets is pre-determined according to the degree of relationship. Not only can’t you choose your beneficiaries without a will, you can’t dictate the person you want to manage your affairs. You can’t plan to reduce or eliminate inheritance and/or estate taxes, or income taxes. Simply put: without a will, you typically have no control over your own assets at death.
It’s a lot to leave up to the law but a majority of Americans do just that – including celebrities. Here are 17 famous people who died without a will:
- Abraham Lincoln: one of the most famous lawyers of our time and the sixteenth president of the United States.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.: civil rights leader and activist.
- Jimi Hendrix: one of the greatest guitar players of all time.
- Pablo Picasso: famous artist.
- Howard Hughes: entrepreneur and billionaire
- Bob Marley: Jamaican singer/songwriter.
- Kurt Cobain: singer/songwriter and frontman for Nirvana.
- Tupac Shakur: rap artist and actor.
- Salvatore Phillip “Sonny” Bono: entertainer turned U.S. Congressman.
- Barry White: soulful entertainer.
- Stieg Larsson: famous author.
- James Brown: singer known as the Godfather of Soul. (Quick disclaimer: Brown did sign a will but it is subject to litigation.)
- Steve McNair: former NFL quarterback and Pro Bowler.
- Nate Dogg: rapper and actor.
- Amy Winehouse: British singer/songwriter.
- Prince: multi-talented artist.
- Michael Jackson: the King of Pop. (Quick disclaimer: Jackson’s mother initially filed paperwork – much like Prince’s sister – alleging that there was no will. A will was eventually discovered.)
