Death comes for us all.  The Untold Story of Aretha Franklin.

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, a powerful and beautiful voice couldn’t avoid death in 2018. She had plenty of time to prepare for death; she was 76 years old and in poor health for the last few years. She had the time. She certainly had the wealth; she could afford the very best legal & financial advice. Yet when she died it was assumed she did not have a written will. An artist whose career spanned almost 60 years; multiple Grammy Awards,  75 million records, and 112 Billboard charted singles and an estate worth $80 million dollars at the time of her death.

No Will. No plan. Her “house” was “not in order”.

After Aretha’s death a handwritten will was found in the couch cushions.

What followed was a multi-year legal drama with various siblings, nieces, and others fighting over “her intent”.  It took five years of legal wrangling in the probate court of Michigan to finally settle the estate.  

The lesson?  A simple signed will would have avoided ALL the legal drama, the wasted energy, money, and time not to mention the fracturing of relationships within the family, friends, and would-be heirs fighting over “her intent”.

Let that sink in for a moment.  

Seeing as only 1 in 3 Americans, per Pew Research, has a valid and/or up to date (definition: last three years) will, I trust that the opening sentence from Scripture and the story of Aretha Franklin’s estate problems provided a small jolt of eternity whispering in your ear.  

 You are mortal. You will die. Make preparations. 

The Biblical Foundation: Planning Honors God and Protects Loved Ones 

Scripture doesn’t dictate lawyer-drafted wills, but it strongly endorses the heart behind them: faithful management of what God provides; thoughtful provision for family; and clear direction to avoid unnecessary strife. (i.e. “Getting your house in order”).

• Proverbs 13:22 

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

• 1 Tim. 5:8

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 

• Luke 14:28-30

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’

• Matthew 25:14-30

(Summary) A man going on a journey entrusted his servants with his money, giving five talents to one, two to another, and one to another, each according to his ability. The servants with five and two talents immediately put the money to work and doubled what they received. After a long time, the master returned and asked for an account. The servant with five talents came forward and said, “Master, you gave me five talents; I have made five more. 

 So, what can we learn from the above admonition and from Scripture? 

 Key Lessons  

1. No Will = State Rules Decide (Intestacy Chaos)    IF you do not have a will, the laws of the state you reside in will determine everything regarding your estate:  who, what, how much, etc.  The judge presiding over the estate has great power and authority over the final disposition of your worldly assets;  any private wishes for distributions, charities, or specific requests are at his or her discretion.
2. Handwritten ‘Wills’ Are Risky and Litigious Michigan allowed the 2014 holographic (hand written) will, but conflicts required a jury trial.  Most states (e.g., Florida) reject unwitnessed ones outright. Lesson: Get a formal, witnessed/signed will to avoid validity fights.
3. Family Disputes Turn Ugly Without Clear Instructions. Aretha’s sons and extended family battled over control and interpretations of her hand written will. In the process exposing private matters publicly. A signed will names executors, sets distributions clearly, and reduces sibling rifts; also keeps family “laundry” private. 
4. Probate Delays and Costs Drain Estates.  The legal battles added years of litigation, tax debts, and court oversight.  It reduced the total inheritance AND delayed the disbursement of the estate’s assets. 
5. Act Now—Simple Signed Will Is the Starting Point. You don’t need fame or fortune; a basic signed will controls who gets what, names guardians/executors, and avoids intestacy defaults. Review it regularly.

Grace Christian University has partnered with Giftwise–an online legal will platform–that allows you to create and save a legal will FOR NO CHARGE. This is FREE to you as a member of the Giftwise platform; this is our gift to you.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, Pete Tilden, at the following email ptilden@att.net or call me 616.264.6668.