What the ‘Queen of Soul’ Can Teach Us About Legacy Planning

Let’s be real. 

Planning for the future is hard. Thinking about what will happen when you’re gone is even harder, it’s also hard for your family and friends.

If you’ve started, but haven’t finished — that’s okay.

Consider this Black History Month that Martin Luther King, Jr. died without a will. His assassination was a shock, but not wholly unexpected, even to him. More than 50 years later his family still disputes his intellectual and personal property and his legacy. The same is true for celebrities like Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, and Bob Marley, who did not prepare a legacy plan before they died. Aretha Franklin tried four different times to write her will, but didn’t quite finish. Four years later, her children are still trying to sort out her $80 million estate.

Prince, someone who seemed to come from the future, passed away without a plan for the future: his estate, music, and legacy are in limbo. The courts have taken over the process, and his family is still trying to sort it out six years later. The saddest part is, no one knows what Prince wanted for his siblings, nieces and nephews, or friends. If you feel overwhelmed by thinking about the future or making a plan, that’s understandable. It feels like there are so many steps to ensure everything is done correctly.

What can we learn from Prince, Aretha Franklin, and others in our community who struggled to get their own ‘house in order’ before they passed away? We can see how hard it can be for the family after they are gone. Things don’t just work themselves out without a plan. We can also learn that even people with a lot of resources struggle to gather themselves - mentally, physically, emotionally - to share their wishes and create a plan for after they’re gone. 

So, what can you do? Take the first step to begin your legacy planning and celebrate the accomplishment! You can have a conversation about your wishes, create a list of your wealth, or make a list of who should receive what you will leave behind. Take a deep breath and start the journey from wherever you are. 

We know it’s hard, but know that you’re not alone. I Am Willing is here to help.