Carley’s Corner - The Jimi Hendrix Estate
Jimi Hendrix was born on November 27th 1942 in Seattle Washington. After having a difficult childhood, Jimi turned to music and learned to play the guitar quickly with his father buying him his first electric guitar when he was in high school. It was a right-handed Supro Ozark that the left handed teenager had to flip upside down to play. In 1966, Hendrix met Chas Chandler — bass player of the British rock group the Animals, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience was formed. The band was an instant hit in England and quickly grew to fame in America as well. Hendrix delighted audiences with his outrageous guitar playing skills and his innovative, experimental sound. Unfortunately, Hendrix passed away in 1970 at the young age of 27 from drug related complications. He left an indelible mark on the world of music and remains popular to this day. Hendrix is still a household name for any guitar lover.
When Jimi passed away, he left behind an estate worth about $66 million dollars, and no Will! Jimi’s father, Al, was ultimately the heir of the fortune based off the intestacy laws, which then left out Jimi’s two children born out of wedlock, his brother, his mom, his girlfriend and more. Many knew this was not what Jimi would have wanted for his estate and this led to numerous court battles which lasted thirty years costing millions of dollars. His brother Leon paid more than $3 million on his own attorney and court fees, and that was just one of the court cases! Al built the Hendrix legacy into an $80 million dollar estate over the years, however when Al eventually passed away, he cut Leon and all family out of his Will, which resulted in the Hendrix fortune being passed along to his adopted children from a later marriage. This means that the Hendrix estate ended up in the hands of strangers – is this what Jimi would have wanted for his family?
The biggest mistake that Jimi Hendrix made was that he did not have a Will when he passed. If he had a Will drafted, Hendrix could have decided who was to inherit his fortune and manage his legacy. Having an estate plan would have also saved his family members millions of dollars in attorney and court fees and would have ensured that strangers did not receive his legacy. You don’t need to be a Rockstar to have this happen to you – ensure that you have a valid Will and estate plans in place to protect your legacy and loved ones!
Intestate estates are more common than you may think. If you have had a loved one pass away without a Will and are struggling to navigate the intestate estate, contact us today to ease life after death.
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.