Prince had $156 million and no will. Aretha Franklin's last wishes were found in a spiral notebook under a couch cushion. Chadwick Boseman knew he was dying for four years and never wrote a single document protecting what he built.
These are not stories about careless people. They are stories about brilliant, accomplished people who put off the one thing that would have protected everyone they loved.
Every Tuesday, estate planning and family law attorney Tracey J. Coates breaks down what actually happened, what the law did with it, and what you can do right now so your family is not the next cautionary tale.
What They Left Behind: The Coates Brief is the estate planning conversation you have been meaning to have.
Licensed in Maryland and Washington, D.C. New episodes every Tuesday at coatesfamilylaw.com.
Michael Jackson: The Price of a Name and the Power of a Plan | Episode 09
Michael Jackson was the King of Pop, one of the most recognizable and influential entertainers in music history. He built a name known around the world, yet when he died in 2009, he reportedly left behind nearly $500 million in debt. Despite the financial challenges surrounding his estate, he had something many other celebrities did not: a will, a trust, and capable executors already in place. But even careful planning could not prevent a decade-long legal battle over the value of his name an...
3 Oct 2026
Elvis Presley: A Fortune Earned, an Estate Nearly Lost | Episode 08
Elvis Presley was the King of Rock and Roll, one of the most famous and highest-earning entertainers of his generation. He sold hundreds of millions of records, filled stadiums, and built a name recognized around the world. Yet when he died in 1977, the fortune behind that fame was in trouble. Elvis had a will, but his estate was asset-rich and cash-poor. Taxes, ongoing expenses, financial mismanagement, and deals made during his lifetime put enormous pressure on what he left behind. Within a...
17 Sept 2026
Chadwick Boseman: Four Years Battling Cancer, but No Will | Episode 07
Chadwick Boseman was a celebrated actor whose performances brought some of the most important figures in history to the screen before he became a global star as Black Panther. Behind that extraordinary career, he was privately facing colon cancer, a diagnosis he carried for four years while continuing to work, create, and inspire millions. When he died in 2020 at just 43 years old, he left behind something few expected: no will. What happens when you know time may be limited, but ...
1 Sept 2026
Judy Garland: A Will Full of Wishes, but Nothing Left to Give | Episode 06
Judy Garland was a legendary actress, singer, and entertainer whose performances made her one of the most recognizable stars in Hollywood history. From The Wizard of Oz to sold-out concert halls around the world, she earned enormous sums throughout her career. Yet when she died in 1969 at just 47 years old, she left behind substantial debts and a will filled with generous wishes that her estate could not fulfill. More than 500 of her personal belongings were eventually auctioned to help...
25 Aug 2026
Billie Holiday: 70 Cents in the Bank, a Legacy Worth Millions, and No Will. | Episode 05
Billie Holiday was a legendary jazz singer and cultural icon whose voice transformed American music and influenced generations of artists. But when she died in 1959 at just 44 years old, she reportedly had only 70 cents in the bank and no will. What she left behind, however, was worth far more. Her recordings, publishing rights, image, autobiography, and musical legacy would continue to generate value for decades. Because she died without a will while still legally married to her estranged hu...
12 Aug 2026
Gene Hackman: A 20-Year-Old Will With No Backup Beneficiary. | Episode 04
Gene Hackman was an Academy Award-winning actor whose career spanned decades and included some of the most memorable performances in American film. When he died at 95, he had an estate plan in place. But his will was nearly 20 years old, and it left his entire estate to one person: his wife, Betsy Arakawa. When Betsy died just days before him, an estate plan centered around a single beneficiary faced a question it did not clearly answer. What happens when the person your estate plan depends o...
4 Aug 2026
Robin Williams: Trust in Place. Family Feud Over Personal Property. | Episode 03
Robin Williams was a beloved actor, comedian, and cultural icon whose work entertained generations around the world. Unlike many estate stories, his did not begin with the absence of a plan. He created trusts, signed the documents, and took the steps many people never do. Yet after his death, his family still found themselves in court arguing over a tuxedo, watches, photographs, and other deeply personal belongings. What happened when a carefully prepared estate plan still left room for...
29 Jul 2026
Aretha Franklin: Handwritten Wills Found in a Couch. | Episode 02
Aretha Franklin was a legendary singer, songwriter, and cultural icon known around the world as the Queen of Soul. She spent her life creating one of the greatest musical legacies in history. But when she died in 2018, her family believed she had left no will at all. Months later, handwritten documents were discovered inside her home, including one tucked beneath a couch cushion. What came next became a legal battle over one simple question: Can a handwritten note really count as a will? What...
23 Jun 2026
What They Left Behind: The Coates Brief | Trailer
Prince had 156 million dollars and no will. Aretha Franklin left her last wishes in a notebook under a couch cushion. These are not just stories about celebrities and high-profile individuals. They are reality checks for the rest of us. Welcome to What They Left Behind: The Coates Brief. I’m Tracey J. Coates, an estate planning and family law attorney. In each episode, I take you inside high-profile estates, unpack what happened, and share the legal lessons that can help you make more informe...
23 Jun 2026
Prince: No Will. $156 Million Estate. | Episode 01
Prince was a world famous singer, songwriter, musician, and cultural icon who spent his career fighting to control his own music down to the smallest detail. He was meticulous, private, and famously protective of his work. And when he died unexpectedly in 2016, he left behind an estate widely reported at around $156 million with no will at all. What came next is the part that should make all of us pause. Because there was no plan, his estate went into a long and public probate process, drawin...
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