• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
  • Services
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
  • Elder Law
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Emergency Medicaid & Nursing Home Planning
    • Guardianship & Conservatorship
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Veterans Benefits
  • Seminars
  • Areas We Serve
    • Ballwin
    • Chesterfield
    • Clayton
    • Creve Couer
    • Des Peres
    • Edwardsville
    • Fenton
    • Glen Carbon
    • Glendale
    • Kirkwood
    • Maryland Heights
    • Oakland
    • Sappington
    • St. Louis
    • Sunset Hills
    • Valley Park
    • Webster Groves
  • Resources
    • Asset Protection Worksheet
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Chesterfield Elder Law
      • Fenton Elder Law
      • Kirkwood Elder Law
      • Sunset Hills Elder Law
      • St. Louis Elder Law
      • St. Peters Elder Law
      • Webster Groves Elder Law
    • FREE Estate Planning Seminars
    • FREE Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate Planning
      • Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Trust Administration & Probate
    • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
    • Medicaid Resources
    • Multimedia
    • Newsletters
    • Presentations
    • Pre Consultation Form
    • Probate Checklist
    • Probate Resources
    • Retirement Planning Checklist
    • Special Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning For Niches
      • Trust Administration
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.

St. Louis Estate Planning & Elder Law Attorneys

Logo
CONNECT WITH US TODAY (314) 966-8077
ATTEND A FREE WEBINAR
Home / Estate Plan / Celebrity Lessons – Could Whitney Houston’s Estate Plan Have Protected Bobbi Kristina?

Celebrity Lessons – Could Whitney Houston’s Estate Plan Have Protected Bobbi Kristina?

September 11, 2015

Estate Plan

Protected Bobbi KristinaBobbi Kristina, the daughter of legendary singer and actress Whitney Houston, finally lost her battle to survive in July after being on life support since January. Her tragic death has left more questions than answers ranging from how she ended up unconscious in her bathtub to who will inherit what is left of Whitney’s fortune now. Many experts speculate that money was at the center of Bobbi Kristina’s untimely and early death, leading to the question “Could Whitney Houston’s estate plan have protected Bobbi Kristina?”

Bobbi Kristina was the only child of the tumultuous marriage between Whitney Houston and singer Bobby Brown. That made Bobbi the heir apparent when her mother was found dead in a bathtub almost three years to the day before Bobbi herself was found unconscious in a bathtub. Houston did leave behind a Last Will and Testament; however, it was executed back in 1984, long before Bobbi Kristina was born, and was never revised or updated. The Will apparently created a testamentary trust that gave Bobbi Kristina a lump sum of money when she turned 21 with another, larger, sum due to her when she turned 25. Though Whitney left behind more debts than assets when she died, sales of her music and movies skyrocketed after her death with the proceeds covering her debts and netting an estimated $20 million – all of which would have gone to Bobbi Kristina eventually.

Relatives were concerned from the beginning that handing Bobbi Kristina a large sum of money was not only dangerous, but not what Whitney would have intended. Unfortunately, a probate court cannot guess at the intentions of a Testator. Instead, the court must enforce the terms of the Will as they are written absent a showing that the Testator was of unsound mind, unduly influenced, or the Will is otherwise invalid.

After Bobbi Kristina was found unconscious she was put into a medical induced coma having suffered severe brain damage. How she ended up that way remains under investigation; however, a lawsuit against her “boyfriend” has been filed by her conservator alleging everything from physical violence to theft and fraud – all of which appears to be motivated by Bobbi Kristina’s inheritance.

It seems clear that better estate planning could have protected Bobbi Kristina from becoming the target of those who wanted her money. Few 21 year olds are emotionally and financially prepared to handle a large sum of money well. That’s why trusts are so often used to dole out an inheritance sparingly, and then only after the Trustee has approved the disbursements.

If you have a significant estate to leave behind, and have minor children, it is crucial that you create an estate plan that will protect them both from themselves and from those who will prey on them. Contact the experienced Missouri estate planning attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, LLC by calling (314) 966-8077 to schedule an appointment.

 

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Paul Gantner
Paul Gantner
I am an owner of Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, L.L.C. I have been able to bring my business and legal education and experience into a firm that has for many years provided comprehensive estate plans that meet clients’ needs and expectations.My passion has been creating and constantly pushing AGC’s mission of “Helping Families Secure their Legacies by Embracing them into the Law Firm Family through Long-term, Personal Advisory Relationships.”
Paul Gantner
Latest posts by Paul Gantner (see all)
  • Show Your Love by Creating an Estate Plan - March 21, 2023
  • What You Need to Know About SECURE Act 2.0 - March 14, 2023
  • The Lessons from Lisa Marie - March 7, 2023

Filed Under: Estate Plan

Other Articles You May Find Useful

What Components Do You Need in Your Estate Plan?
Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.
How to Transfer Appreciable Assets at a Discount
Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.
Life Events that Should Trigger an Estate Plan Update

About Paul Gantner

I am an owner of Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, L.L.C. I have been able to bring my business and legal education and experience into a firm that has for many years provided comprehensive estate plans that meet clients’ needs and expectations. My passion has been creating and constantly pushing AGC’s mission of “Helping Families Secure their Legacies by Embracing them into the Law Firm Family through Long-term, Personal Advisory Relationships.”

Primary Sidebar

Download our free Estate Planning Worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • youtube

Blog Subscription

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Where We Are

Amen, Gantner & Capriano
10733 Sunset Office Drive, Suite 425
St. Louis, MO 63127

See Larger MapGet directions

Office Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Map

map for Amen, Gantner & Capriano Your Estate Matters office
  • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
  • About The American Academy
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Footer

Connect to us

  • Facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • youtube
footer-logo

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.

Amen, Gantner & Capriano,
Your Estate Matters, LLC

Attorney Advertisement