When legendary singer Aretha Franklin passed away in 2018, she left behind a rich musical legacy and an estate worth millions of dollars. One significant aspect of her departure was the unveiling of her last will and testament, offering insight into how she planned to preserve her assets and distribute her wealth. In this article, we take a brief look at Aretha Franklin’s last will and highlight some key details that shed light on her intentions for her estate.
Aretha Franklin left behind an estate that is allegedly worth $6 million dollars. She also left behind a mess for the court system to figure out. The mess is still brewing in court, because there is more than one Last Will and Testament written by Franklin, and both documents could be perceived as valid. There is a Will written in 2014 (but found stuffed underneath couch cushions in 2018), and another hand-written Will dating back to 2010. The document crammed under the seat of a couch is a great reminder to ensure that your Executor knows where to find your latest, updated Last Will and Testament.
Two of Franklin’s sons, Kecalf and Edward, believe in the validity of the 2018 Will, while their other brother, Ted White 2, believes in the legality of the 2010 Will. It is worth mentioning that the 2010 Will appoints White’s niece as the executor of Franklin’s estate, while the updated Will appoints Kecalf and Edward as executors of her estate. Judge Jennifer Callaghan (who is presiding over this case) wants a jury to determine the validity of the 2014 Last Will and Testament.
This is no easy feat, however, given the scribbles, crossed-out-words, and the messy way the 2014 was drawn up. You can read more about the ongoing case, here.