What Happens If You Die Without A Will Like Aretha Franklin?

The Queen of Soul had a voice that was super human.  And that is probably understating it.

But she may have shared a very common human trait with most of us: a tendency to put off planning for the future – including getting a will or other estate planning documents created.

The Detroit Free Press and others reported this week that Aretha Franklin left no will or trust at death.   There is a quote from one of her attorneys who worked with her on other matters: “I was after her for a number of years to do a trust.”   Apparently with no success.

That might ring a bell with some, who either have encouraged someone to get estate planning done or who have been encouraged by others to get estate planning done.  I have been on both sides of that conversation myself.

In fact, the current blog series on Estate Planning 101  recently discussed how one of the most important aspects of estate planning is to fight the tendency to put it off (until a perfect time, until you understand it all, etc.).

The next few blog posts will focus on the specific issue raised by these recent events:  what happens in Oklahoma if you die without a will – like Aretha Franklin did?

Tying it all together,  that series will also cover the final document of the 3 basic documents each estate plan should consider and finish the Estate Planning 101 series.  Those 3 documents are one of three essential topics for a basic estate planning discussion in Oklahoma.