Aretha Franklin left no will when she died at the age of 78.
What We Know:
- Aretha Franklin died in 2018 from a long battle with pancreatic tumors. The IRS claimed the singer’s estate owed more than 7.8 million in unpaid income taxes, interest, and penalties from 2010-2017. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a U.S. government agency responsible for collecting taxes and enforcement of tax laws.
- Ms. Franklin both married and divorced two times, thus remaining a widow by the time of her death. The four sons Clarence, Edward, KeCalf, and Ted White Jr., listed themselves as “interested parties.” Months later, handwritten wills were discovered in Ms. Franklin’s home. As previously reported on Black News Alerts, Kecalf claims that a different handwritten will from 2014, found in the couch of Aretha’s home, names Kecalf as the representative of her estate; an appointment worth millions of dollars.
- Sabrina Owens discovered a will in 2014, and it stated that she wanted her son Kecalf Franklin to serve as personal representative of the state. Ms. Franklin’s niece Sabrina Owens asked the court to appoint her as a personal representative for the estate. Ownes accepted the role to help avoid the family drama within the family and that disagreements would not end up in court. These conditions have occurred, and a couple of months later, Owens resigned as executor because of disputes among the family members. Reginald M. Turner is appointed as the temporary caretaker of Aretha Franklin’s estate, and he was also a long-time friend of Ms. Franklin.
- NY Times reported that an initial payment of $800,000 is to be made to the IRS within five days of the deal’s approval by the judge Jennifer S. Callaghan of Oakland County Probate Court in Michigan, according to the document submitted in court on February 19th.
- The arrangement from January 1 implies that her sons will be getting $50,000 each because 45% of songs, royalties, and other forms will be going towards the IRS. At least 15% would be going towards paying for the estate and 40% to an escrow account against taxes on future incomes.
Given Aretha’s legacy and prolonged illness, it is surprising that she did not make arrangements to control her legacy.
