No Will? Even The Rich And Famous Can Overlook It

You may be thinking “What happens if my nan dies without making a will?” or “Does dad’s estate go to his children if he doesn’t leave a will?” Here are some real life examples from the news, that our team at Wilson Browne would be able to assist you with:

The popstar Prince’s family were probably wishing for that “extra time and his….kiss” after passing away intestate. As he passed away without a Will it left no clear directive for how his vast estate should be distributed.

This means that intestacy laws direct the way that the estate should be distributed. Since Prince’s wishes were not known regarding how to divide his estate amongst his siblings, a long legal dispute occurred over his assets.

A more recent example was Liam Payne, former One Direction member. He passed away in October 2024 without leaving a will. His estate has been valued at over £24 million and will be distributed according to the rules of intestacy. This means it will primarily go to his son Bear once he turns 18. However, without leaving a will, Liam was not able to have any say in how his estate should be distributed nor make any plans for inheritance tax.