Sorry guys, this must've been discussed endlessly already, I know, but I just can't get my head around the idea of him leaving over a hundred million dollars to the government instead of donating it for good causes.

As we all found out after his passing, he was extremely dedicated to helping people in need, especially caring about children in need throughout his carreer. Also, he didn't trust governments in general.

Why on Earth would he let a huge chunk of his wealth simply fall into the hands of the taxman? He was surely passionate about helping others, just as he was passionate about controlling his own legacy. Just imagine how many children's lives he could've improved with the kind of money that will go to paying taxes instead. I refuse to accept he didn't want to help anymore. I refuse to accept he didn't care who'll end up controlling and monetising his legacy.

This whole "we've found no will" story sounds fishy to me.

Prince was such a control freak, I think there is no way he did not leave a will. Just no way. It is fishy.

He was also full of controversy and knew that not having one would spark discussion and lots of it

Uh... no.

Bohemian67 said:

He was also full of controversy and knew that not having one would spark discussion and lots of it

This isn't something like going on stage in underwear for the sake of controversy. It's about hundreds of millions of dollars; potentially a billion dollar estate in the long run.

I could maybe (maybe!) accept that he didn't care how his heirs will fight over money after he's gone. But I won't accept that he has knowingly let the taxman take a huuuuge cut INSTEAD of donating tens of millions or more for good causes.

In Minnesota there have to be 2 other witnesses to a will. So if there is a MN will 2 people know about it. Unless they have more to gain with in not being found and both decided to hide it... there is likely no will.

Keep in mind he was all about control here in this life but seemed to me to be more that willing to go to the next life without worry what he left behind.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

In Minnesota there have to be 2 other witnesses to a will. So if there is a MN will 2 people know about it. Unless they have more to gain with in not being found and both decided to hide it... there is likely no will.

Keep in mind he was all about control here in this life but seemed to me to be more that willing to go to the next life without worry what he left behind.

It's his dedication to helping others that makes me doubt the story the most. Perhaps you're right and he didn't worry about his legacy anymore. Sounds unlikely to me but not impossible. I just don't think he stopped caring for children in need, for example, so I don't think he wouldn't want to continue helping.

KaresB said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

In Minnesota there have to be 2 other witnesses to a will. So if there is a MN will 2 people know about it. Unless they have more to gain with in not being found and both decided to hide it... there is likely no will.

Keep in mind he was all about control here in this life but seemed to me to be more that willing to go to the next life without worry what he left behind.

It's his dedication to helping others that makes me doubt the story the most. Perhaps you're right and he didn't worry about his legacy anymore. Sounds unlikely to me but not impossible. I just don't think he stopped caring for children in need, for example, so I don't think he wouldn't want to continue helping.

so if 2 people (say Tyka and Londell) knew about it and knew everything when to a chariaty maybe they would agree to lose it? (she was confident mighty fast that there was no will)

KaresB said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

KaresB said:

It's his dedication to helping others that makes me doubt the story the most. Perhaps you're right and he didn't worry about his legacy anymore. Sounds unlikely to me but not impossible. I just don't think he stopped caring for children in need, for example, so I don't think he wouldn't want to continue helping.

so if 2 people (say Tyka and Londell) knew about it and knew everything when to a chariaty maybe they would agree to lose it? (she was confident mighty fast that there was no will)

I don't want to make accusations. I'm simply thinking out loud and wondering how is it possible that after secretly helping people in need all through his career, obviously being passionate about charity work, suddenly he passed a big opportunity to continue doing so and let over a hundred million dollars fall onto the government instead.

KaresB said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

KaresB said:

"…It's his dedication to helping others that makes me doubt the story the most. Perhaps you're right and he didn't worry about his legacy anymore. Sounds unlikely to me but not impossible. I just don't think he stopped caring for children in need, for example, so I don't think he wouldn't want to continue helping…"

"…so if 2 people (say Tyka and Londell) knew about it and knew everything when to a chariaty maybe they would agree to lose it? (she was confident mighty fast that there was no will)…"

"…I don't want to make accusations. I'm simply thinking out loud and wondering how is it possible that after secretly helping people in need all through his career, obviously being passionate about charity work, suddenly he passed a big opportunity to continue doing so and let over a hundred million dollars fall onto the government instead…"

How is it possible? Having an intention to one day get around making a will, but procrastinating, putting it off until tomorrow — because that's what we all do — and then dying accidentally is how it's possible.

Not only is that scenario "possible" but all the objective factual evidence supports such a scenario being very probable even.

Why is that such a hard concept for people to grasp? The same thing happens to millions of people who were also "control freaks" — every single day — all over the world — with no subterfuge nor intrigue involved.

If there's any "deep meaning" to be gleaned from such unfortunate circumstances, it only goes to show that Prince was not immune from making the same mistakes that millions of other "control freaks" make all the time.

Let me ask you this, KaresB: Do you have a will?

phatphuk said:

phatphuk said:

How is it possible? Having an intention to one day get around making a will, but procrastinating, putting it off until tomorrow — because that's what we all do — and then dying accidentally is how it's possible.

He's been very wealthy man for over 3 decades. He's had countless attorneys over the years and has made multimillion dollar deals regularly. It's surely rather unlikely that he hasn't been advised to make a will by every single manager and lawyer he ever hired – and if it's true that he was preparing to leave for 2 years and was making detailed plans for the museum, it's unlikely he didn't get around making a will.

KaresB said:

laurarichardson said:

KaresB said:

He's been very wealthy man for over 3 decades. He's had countless attorneys over the years and has made multimillion dollar deals regularly. It's surely rather unlikely that he hasn't been advised to make a will by every single manager and lawyer he ever hired – and if it's true that he was preparing to leave for 2 years and was making detailed plans for the museum, it's unlikely he didn't get around making a will.

Like I said before he could have put some money in a trust or may have used his LLC to avoid probate for his copyrights.

Possible – yet there's a big difference between putting SOME money in a trust and letting over a hundred million fly out the window that could've been put to good causes.

KaresB said:

KaresB said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

KaresB said:

"…It's his dedication to helping others that makes me doubt the story the most. Perhaps you're right and he didn't worry about his legacy anymore. Sounds unlikely to me but not impossible. I just don't think he stopped caring for children in need, for example, so I don't think he wouldn't want to continue helping…"

"…so if 2 people (say Tyka and Londell) knew about it and knew everything when to a chariaty maybe they would agree to lose it? (she was confident mighty fast that there was no will)…"

"…I don't want to make accusations. I'm simply thinking out loud and wondering how is it possible that after secretly helping people in need all through his career, obviously being passionate about charity work, suddenly he passed a big opportunity to continue doing so and let over a hundred million dollars fall onto the government instead…"

I've read a few hundred other posts from people on this site who all say things like, "The Princey-Wincey I know would never do that".

Therein lies to solution to those people's confusion. The fact is, They don't know Prince Rogers Nelson as well as they like to imagine they know him!

People confuse the difference between being an enthusiastic and rabid consumer of the retail products, merchandise and live performances of Prince The Pop Star^®, with knowing Prince Rogers Nelson the private Joe.

Until people come to terms with the reality of The Entertainer↭The Entertained relationship, they will remain in a state of never-ending confusion.

KaresB said:

KaresB said:

phatphuk said:

"…How is it possible? Having an intention to one day get around making a will, but procrastinating, putting it off until tomorrow — because that's what we all do — and then dying accidentally is how it's possible…"

"…He's been very wealthy man for over 3 decades. He's had countless attorneys over the years and has made multimillion dollar deals regularly. It's surely rather unlikely that he hasn't been advised to make a will by every single manager and lawyer he ever hired – and if it's true that he was preparing to leave for 2 years and was making detailed plans for the museum, it's unlikely he didn't get around making a will…"

So are you assuming that wealthy people never make mistakes?

Well, consider this: Donald Trump is richer than Prince. I assume somebody surely gave The Donald advice to do something with his "doo". But being the control freak that I assume Trump is, I assume Trump told his advisors to fuck off.

My point being: Rich people are human beings too. And, therefore, being human, they are not immune to ignoring good advice.

laurarichardson said:

He could have put some money in a trust for his charities. Trust do not have to go through probate and will still don't know how he structured his LLC which is another why to avoid probate. All of these ways are private. I could see Prince doing something like this. Anything you do with a will is public. KaresB said:

It's his dedication to helping others that makes me doubt the story the most. Perhaps you're right and he didn't worry about his legacy anymore. Sounds unlikely to me but not impossible. I just don't think he stopped caring for children in need, for example, so I don't think he wouldn't want to continue helping.

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Laura, I agree. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Prince set a trust up several years ago for his charities.

anangellooksdown said:

Maybe he still saw himself as very young and didn't think he would need one yet. Sometimes even if there are worries or concerns about ourselves in the back of our minds, we never think we're going to die. Especially at that age. Additionally, Prince did a lot to stay young. Most of us think that certain things could "never happen to us". If he became concerned about himself after the plane incident, there wouldn't have been much time to get a will together, and I his state of mind and body might not have been up to it that week.

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That could all very well be true. Perhaps Prince took care of what was most important to him, and left the rest for his family to sort out? Prince didn't care about material posessions or money. He was a very charitable man, and probably had a trust set-up, like LauraR stated.

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Prince was no dummy. I always believed he had a will, somewhere, but maybe he didn't have one for a good reason?

phatphuk- What are you so angry about? (I'm asuming from the bold type) ---- Yes, it's possible, Prince didn't expect to die (but wouldn't the emergency plane landing have given him an idea it was possible?) and maybe he didn't take advice of his lawyers, but it still doesn't make much sense, considering he covered his ass in every other area. It's not even only about the money, which he may not have cared about, but the music, which we all know HE DID CARE ABOUT. To the extent that no one can cover his songs, upload on Youtube etc. Plus all the vault stuff. Surely he plans for all this.

I don't believe Prince didn't leave a will and I believe Prince died under questionable and shady circumstances.

[Edited 11/7/16 13:58pm]

Laurarichardson said:

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"Londell said he spoke to Prince about a will and he simply did not want to discuss death. Maybe it was his intention to do one but 57 is young and I am not sure if he health took a turn for the worst that he would have time to put a will together in a few days."

..............

.......

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Wow, Londell said that??!! Well, there ya go!! Prince didn't want to discuss death. Makes sense now, because I remember reading an interview somewhere, after MJ and Whitney died and he was asked to comment, and Prince did NOT want to talk about it. He just couldn't go there.

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Personally, I think that after he lost his Son and both Parents, death was just not something that he wanted to talk about. Those of you have lost a loved one, especially a child or a parent know what I'm talking about.

It's been determined that P left his estate legacy protected by a corporate structure.

Here's the thread where it's being discussed:

http://prince.org/msg/7/433432

mjscarousal said:

I don't believe Prince didn't leave a will and I believe Prince died under questionable and shady circumstances.

[Edited 11/7/16 13:58pm]

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LBrent said:

It's been determined that P left his estate legacy protected by a corporate structure.

Here's the thread where it's being discussed:

http://prince.org/msg/7/433432

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Yes, a wealth of information on that thread, thanks!

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Also, the "Estate" thread is very helpful too.

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I guess this is another discussion that should be in the "Estate" thread.

Superfan1984 said: