There have been a few high profile estate disputes that have involved major celebrities and people of interest. The estates of BB King, Michael Jackson, Leona Helmlsey, Ted Williams, Nelson Mandela, Nina Wang, and Liliane Bettencourt have all been subject to high profile disputes over a wide variety of issues. These problems range from disputes over things like inheritance, guardianship, pet trusts, mental capacity, power of attorney, and what to do with a body after death. These highly reported on celebrity disputes bring attention to the wide range of problems that poor estate planning can cause. It shows the complex factors that a wise estate planner needs to account for when creating wills and trusts and helping a client plan for their future.
See The who’s who battle for wills, bodies, and legacies, BBC News, May 24, 2015.
Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.
