Legendary music star Prince tragically passed away last week. Based on news reports, it appears that Prince died without a will, leaving a potentially massive estate in limbo and subject to taxes and years of legal wrangling. This is a legal tragedy, and unfortunately, a completely foreseeable and avoidable mistake. Prince’s lack of a will reportedly arose from his aversion to signing legal documents.

The NYT quotes a local entertainment lawyer with excellent advice for all of us: “It comes down to taking care of business. If you don’t take care of it, you’re leaving a mess to the family or the courts.” Have you taken care of business and signed your will? If not, you owe it to your family and yourself to take care of business soon.

Millennials and young professionals need a will too – as the Boy Scouts say, “be prepared” and don’t leave a mess for your family. None of us know when our time will come, but we can all be ready when the time does come. If you’re an adult, you need a will and estate plan.

As an attorney, I enjoy working with clients to do their wills and estate plans quickly and inexpensively. My law firm, Johnson Law KC LLC, is experienced counseling clients on probate, estate planning, and trust administration. Call (913.707.9220) or email me (steve@johnsonlawkc.com) to schedule a free, convenient consultation.

(c) 2016, Stephen M. Johnson, Esq.