As you probably know, the “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin passed away on August 16 after a long bout with pancreatic cancer. The singer, a mother of four, never made an estate plan, leaving her “intestate,” which means died without a will. Now her four children, including a son with special needs, will have to go to court to have her estate probated and these matters will no longer be kept private. Additionally, according to her state’s law, when a person dies without a Last Will and Testament the assets of an unmarried mother are divided equally among her children.
THREE REASONS YOU SHOULDN’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE AS ARETHA FRANKLIN:
- PENNSYLVANIA HAS AN INTESTATE SUCCESSION LAW. This means that if you die without a will in Pennsylvania, the state decides who gets what and how much — you don’t have a say in how your property is distributed among your loved ones. Pennsylvania law does not take into account if, like in Aretha Franklin’s case, you have a child with special needs who needs additional financial support,
- PASSING AWAY WITHOUT A WILL LEAVES YOUR FAMILY IN LIMBO. Probating an estate can take time and be costly. It can also lead to hurt feelings and misunderstandings among family members. This is another reason it is important to write a Last Will and Testament to ensure that your loved ones are taken care of and don’t have to be burdened by estate probate when they are already dealing with the grief of your passing.
- MAKING AN ESTATE PLAN IS NOT THAT DIFFICULT OR EXPENSIVE. While no one wants to contemplate their demise, our attorneys make the process of creating an estate plan as easy as possible. With just a few meetings, we can help you determine the best way to distribute your property, ensuring fairness and simplifying the process for your loved ones. Additionally, writing a Will now will save your loved ones on probate expenses after your passing.