» Celebrity Estate Lessons

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Celebrity Estate Lessons – Ernie Harwell

If you listened to New York baseball games during the post-World War II years, you probably know the voice of Ernie Harwell. He started as a commentator for the Class AA Atlanta Crackers, but the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers thought he wou… Read More
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Stan Lee

Celebrity Estate Lessons – Stan Lee

Hold onto your hats kids, the story behind Stan Lee’s estate gets a little confusing but we’re going to see if we can work it out. Other than Stan Lee, there are five main characters in the story; his wife Joanie, who died in 2017, his daughter J… Read More
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Aretha Franklin

Celebrity Estate Lessons – Aretha Franklin

The Queen of Soul was many things, but Aretha Franklin was not a lawyer. When Aretha Franklin died in 2017 her heirs originally could not find any estate plan. Then, while going through her house in 2019, they found three handwritten Wills, including… Read More
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Malcom X

Celebrity Estate Lessons – Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz

Malcolm X married Dr. Betty Shabazz in 1958. She passed away in 1997 after she received burns on 80% of her body when her twelve-year-old grandson lit a fire in her apartment. No one was able to find her Will, although a number of family members thou… Read More
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Conchita

Celebrity Estate Lessons – Gail Posner & Conchita

“Conchita is the only girl I know who doesn’t consider diamonds her best friend,” Gail Posner shared with The Miami Herald. In fact, Conchita refused to wear the $15,000 diamond necklace that Gail purchased for her. Maybe it was because it didn… Read More
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Frank Sinatra

Celebrity Estate Lessons – Frank Sinatra

So a lot of celebrities get their estate planning wrong, there are of course the ones that get it right on the nose. A great example is Frank Sinatra. Frank had a no contest clause in his Will, stating that if any of his beneficiaries initiated one o… Read More
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Donald Sterling

Celebrity Estate Lessons – Donald Sterling

We often talk about setting up estate plans in order to make sure your wishes are protected against outside influences. But another important facet of estate plans is to protect you against your future self. Such was the case for Donald Sterling. Don… Read More
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Dennis Hopper

Celebrity Estate Lessons – Dennis Hopper

Dennis Hopper was in the midst of a contentious divorce when he died in 2009. Starting at the very beginning, Dennis Hopper and his wife Victoria Duffy had a prenup. This states that she was entitled to receive 25% of his estate, which includes a $25… Read More
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Tina Turner

Celebrity Estate Lessons – Tina Turner

It was a sad day when Tina Turner died on May 24, 2023. But, it gives us a chance to look at an inheritance in real time. Tina Turner knew for some years that she was suffering from life threatening illnesses, including high blood pressure, kidney da… Read More
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Jerry Lee Lewis

Celebrity Estate Lessons – Jerry Lee Lewis

I think we all know that sometimes the best laid plans don’t turn out the way we want. This is something the estate of Jerry Lee Lewis discovered once he passed in 2022. It’s probably safe to say that one of Lewis’ biggest legacies was his cont… Read More
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