Legendary soul singer James Brown died two and a half years ago. If you recall, his family started fighting immediately and he wasn’t even buried for two months because of their bickering and legal maneuvering. About six months later, the family started making claims that millions of dollars were missing from Brown’s estate. They claimed that trustees had mismanaged funds.
In 2008, Brown’s older children and others went to court, questioning whether his marriage in 2001 to Tomi Rae Hynie Brown was even legal and whether his son with her was really legitimate. These two issues would have huge inheritance implications.
The estate has finally been settled this week. On Tuesday, a South Carolina judge approved a settlement giving nearly half of Brown’s assets to a charitable trust. A quarter was given to Tomi and their young son, and the rest to Brown’s six adult children.
Unlike most probate estates, this wasn’t just a fight over existing assets. Brown’s estate, due to his fame and music, will continue to earn income in the future. And that money will be divided going forward.
