Missouri readers may have heard that Bobbi Kristina Brown died on July 26, six months after being found unconscious in a bathtub in her Georgia home. Her death means that the millions of dollars she was set to inherit from her late mother, Whitney Houston, are now at stake.
According to media reports, the inheritance could go to Brown’s father, Bobby Brown, or it could go to someone on the maternal side of her family, such as her grandmother, Cissy Houston. Legal professionals predict that a protracted court battle could take place either way. Ms. Brown’s father and a maternal aunt were appointed guardians over her by a Georgia court in April.
Authorities are still trying to determine if foul play was involved in Brown’s death. She was found face down in a bathtub on Jan. 31. An autopsy was scheduled to be performed by the Fulton County Medical Examiner, but the results could take weeks. Brown received 10 percent of Whitney Houston’s $20 million estate when she turned 21 in 2014. She was to receive another sixth of the estate when she turned 25. The rest was to be paid out when she turned 30. The terms of Houston’s will stipulate that the estate will now go to the singer’s two brothers and to Cissy Houston. However, experts said there are likely to be legal challenges because the estate is substantial and includes ongoing royalties from Houston’s music catalog.
Inheritance issues can be complex and lead to lengthy legal battles, particularly when large sums of money are involved. However, Missouri residents may be able to spare their heirs of disputes by working with a lawyer as they prepare their estate planning documents.
Source: USA Today, “Who will inherit Whitney Houston’s millions?“, Maria Puente, July 27, 2015
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