Film buffs in Illinois may have heard about filmmaker John Singleton’s recent sudden death from a stroke at the age of 51. Reports suggest that there might be litigation associated with his estate. Singleton’s will is purportedly from 1993. At that time, he had only one child. When he died on April 17, he had seven children.
His mother has reportedly filed the will in court with assets listed at $3.8 million. However, Singleton was worth around $35 million at the time of his passing. It is not known whether he had a trust for his children or if his oldest child will inherit the entire estate.
There is also speculation that his mother is the executor of the will. She handled all of his business affairs. However, one of Singleton’s daughters is trying to block the actions of Singleton’s mother. She says that her grandmother is trying to keep his children from getting any of the assets. If the other children are also unhappy with the actions of Singleton’s mother, they might file a lawsuit. Alternately, there could be a legal battle ahead between the children themselves.
Many adults do not have updated estate plans. Younger people might assume that they have plenty of time to deal with estate planning while others simply not want to think about the implications of passing away. However, as Singleton’s case demonstrates, becoming suddenly incapacitated or dying can happen at any age. In addition to reviewing and updating an estate plan regularly, it’s important to discuss wills and trusts with family members. This may help reduce the likelihood of conflict around estate administration. An attorney could also assist a client through the process.