Carley’s Corner – Sonny Bono’s Estate Mishap
Salvatore Bono, better known as Sonny Bono, was a singer, songwriter, TV personality, restaurateur, mayor, and Congressman for the state of California. He was a man of many things during his sixty-two years on this earth, although he is best known for the duo “Sonny & Cher” and their extremely popular song “I Got You Babe.” The duo rose to fame in the 1960’s, and continued creating music along with hosting their hit television programs “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour”, and “The Sonny & Cher Show.” The pair divorced in 1975, and after selling over 40 million records worldwide, decided to disband the duo. Cher, as we all know, went on to continue a highly successful career in the entertainment industry, while Sonny was eventually elected to Congress.
On January 5th, 1998 Sonny and his family were visiting Heavenly Ski Resort located in California when his unusual life came to an abrupt end. Sonny was sadly killed in a skiing accident at the age of sixty-two after colliding with a tree. His death came as a shock and saddened the globe.
When Sonny died, his estate was worth approximately two million dollars. He had re-married since his divorce with Cher, and left behind his wife Mary, and his three children Chaz, Chesare, and Christy. To make an already devastating situation more complicated, Sonny died without a Will and with no estate plan in place.
Since there was no Will when he passed away, his wife Mary had to apply to the court to become the Executor of the estate. This caused lengthy delays right from the get-go, whereas if he had passed away with a Will, the named Executor would be able to step into the role right away. This was followed with costly disputes among beneficiaries, and his former wife Cher. The two former spouses battled in court for years, and in 2021 Cher sued Mary Bono, claiming that the estate had denied her half of her royalties that were agreed upon during the divorce settlement. At the time of writing this blog, the legal decision is still pending.
No matter who you are, estate planning truly does make a difference! The lesson that we can all take away from Sonny Bono’s estate is a simple one – be sure to have a Will! We as humans tend to avoid talking about death, especially when it comes to our own demise, however it’s more upsetting to think about your loved one’s struggling to settle your affairs after you’re gone. By creating an estate plan and a Will, you are protecting your loved ones and avoiding costly errors, court battles and heartache.
Are you, or someone you know acting as the Executor of an Intestate estate? We at ETP Canada know that this can be a daunting and overwhelming role to take on and are here to help ease the burden. To book a free phone consultation with a member of our team, click here!
This blog is not intended to be legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you require legal advice, please contact a legal professional concerning your particular circumstances.