We’ve all heard by now that, unbelievably, Prince who died recently aged just 57 at his 70,000-square-foot Paisley Park estate, did not make a Will. 

A trust company has been appointed to oversee his multimillion-dollar estate whilst it is established who should inherit his fortune, and if we believe the newspapers then that’s going to take a very, very long time.

Prince has a sister Tyka Nelson and five known half-siblings, and under Minnesota law his estate should be divided equally between the siblings including half siblings.  However, this could all change if children or other relatives suddenly come out of the woodwork.  Although the late star married twice, in 1996 and 2001, the relationships were short-lived and he spent most of his twenties and thirties picking up beautiful women, including a string of celebrities such as Kim Basinger, Madonna,  and Sheila E.  Unsurprisingly, one man has already come forward claiming to be his secret love-child, and there are other people looking to benefit from Prince’s estate who are already taking action to further their claims.

For a start, one of Prince’s deceased half-siblings has a surviving grandchild who may well be a rightful heir.  Then there is a woman who claims to be a ‘long-lost’ half-sister and is apparently suing the estate for her share.  And it’s not just relatives that can complicate these already complicated matters.   Last Wednesday Rodney Dixon filed a claim in the same court where the estate is being dealt with, based on an “implied agreement” made sometime in the mid-90s in which he insists that the late artist owed him $1 billion. 

We spend our lives working to provide for ourselves and our families and making a Will ensures that our assets end up with the people we’ve chosen.  Everyone should have a Will, but it is even more important if you have children or own property or savings, investments, insurance policies or a business. 

If you die without a valid Will, as it appears Prince did, you will have no say in what happens to your estate and the rules of Intestacy will divide your estate in a pre-determined way which may not be what you want. 

In recent years, Prince had become a Jehovah’s Witness and turned his life around.  One room in his home was called the Knowledge Room and was lined with shelves of religious literature.  He is estimated to have donated over $1.5 million to New York charities during his lifetime, including Harlem Children’s Zone, American Ballet Theatre and the Uptown Dance Academy. 

If only he had made a Will some of these charities, which were clearly close to his heart, or his local church, might have benefited from his wealth.  But now they’ll get nothing.

For advice on how to make sure this doesn't happen to you and your family, write to me now at timesquestions@anvoner.co.uk and I will do my best to put your mind at rest.