selah said:

My first post..longtime "lurker" though Prince = "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma" It's likely that there are trusts set up for whomever... there are secret trusts, silent trusts etc., which are outside of probate. Legal question for the experts: could a person just set up trusts without any actual will at all? Seeing as how Prince was so private..? I would totally get that decision, I'm actually hoping we never find out details. Secret children etc. Poor person will never have a normal life if that's revealed.

I could easily see him doing something as a secret trust also.

Sameyear58 said:

selah said:

My first post..longtime "lurker" though Prince = "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma" It's likely that there are trusts set up for whomever... there are secret trusts, silent trusts etc., which are outside of probate. Legal question for the experts: could a person just set up trusts without any actual will at all? Seeing as how Prince was so private..? I would totally get that decision, I'm actually hoping we never find out details. Secret children etc. Poor person will never have a normal life if that's revealed.

I could easily see him doing something as a secret trust also.

This has been asked and answered before.

Technically, yes, someone could just set up a trust for their estate. BUT (there is always a "but" in the World of Law), if ANYTHING goes wrong -OR- ANYTHING is challenged in the trust and/or how it is administered, that automatically draws it into Probate Court.

In all of the estates that I have assisted with I have never seen an estate that had transferred everything into the trust. There usually at least one (usually more) estate assets that has been "forgotten", which causes the necessity of a case being officially opened in probate court. Which is why if a client says that they want to do a trust, an estate planning attorney will also have them sign a will to "catch" any leftover assets, so an Executor can be appointed, etc. (Although it is true, a "Pour-Over Will" could have been done, which would automatically "pour over" any probate assets into a trust. But there still is paperwork that needs done here. Again, if there are ANY issues at all, it would be pulled back into the jurisdiction of the probate court.)

So, yes, it is possible - but I am skeptical that anyone would be able to pull it off - especially with an estate this massive and complex. Something (a document here or there) would "leak" somewhere..... OR someone would talk. In the real world, someone ALWAYS talks.

But... it is always possible. And we are talking about Prince here.

(This is not legal advice.)

[Edited 7/18/16 14:10pm]

Sameyear58 said:

Also, I'd like to give a shout out to Mailaccount63 and ISaidLifeIsJustAGame for your legal expertise. Much appreciated!!

Teamwork.

Could I please steer this thread's topic back to "The Estate" sticky, please?

mailaccount63 said:

Could I please steer this thread's topic back to "The Estate" sticky, please?

Yes, please and thank you!!

I have been checking for news updates on the regular and the radio silence is a bit startling.

I know it's a massive undertaking to deal with such an estate especially without a will (still pondering that fact of a man who fought to protect his masters and was particular about how his music was shared/obtained, AND has a freaking VAULT worth of music in his home...) - and all that takes time but...and I don't even like looking at the calender but already nearly 3 months has passed.

The only activity I've seen is the fact that the Online Museum has closed in order to reach an understanding with PP. So they are paying attention to what's happening and seemingly acting upon that, just not disclosing anything at this point. Oi.

ForeverPaisley said:

I have been checking for news updates on the regular and the radio silence is a bit startling.

I know it's a massive undertaking to deal with such an estate especially without a will (still pondering that fact of a man who fought to protect his masters and was particular about how his music was shared/obtained, AND has a freaking VAULT worth of music in his home...) - and all that takes time but...and I don't even like looking at the calender but already nearly 3 months has passed.

The only activity I've seen is the fact that the Online Museum has closed in order to reach an understanding with PP. So they are paying attention to what's happening and seemingly acting upon that, just not disclosing anything at this point. Oi.

My thoughts exactly!! What the heck are they doing????!!!!!?????

FlyOnTheWall said:

They have filed the Affidavits of Heirship today.The Affidavits of those claiming Prince is their father are sealed.

We have another new father for Prince, Mr. Gresham. That makes 3 fathers for Prince. I guess everyone thinks Mattie got around.

Also, someone filed a claim, looks like a prisoner close to were I live and he is saying he either has, or wants to bury Prince on an Indian reservation. I cant tell.