What happens if Prince died without a will?

Written by Jim Worthington on April 27, 2016

News reports have surfaced that Prince died without a will. I don’t want to say too much too soon but here’s an interesting question. Prince had some very particular ideas about how to manage his artistic repertoire. A will or trust would have provided an opportunity for him to direct his musical legacy as he would have done so during his lifetime. What will happen without those directions? Generally, an executor has a duty to maximize the value of an estate for the beneficiaries. That usually means getting the highest return on investment. Time will tell whether managing his legacy and maximizing financial gain are consistent.