Dear Friend,

Let me share a cautionary tale staring the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. When Aretha passed away in 2018, she left behind an estate worth $18 million. But despite her fame and fortune, she didn’t leave behind a clearly valid will. Instead, her family found not one, but three handwritten wills scattered around her home. One was discovered under her couch cushions, another locked away in a cabinet.

As you can imagine, this led to major confusion and conflict among her children. Each of these wills had different instructions about how her estate should be distributed. What should have been a straightforward process turned into a drawn-out legal battle. Her sons were left arguing in court for years, trying to figure out which will to follow. Finally, just this past July—five years after her death—a court ruled that the will found under her couch should be honored.

This situation is a perfect example of what can go terribly wrong when you don’t have a clear, legally valid estate plan in place. Even someone as influential and successful as the “Queen of Soul” wasn’t immune to the pitfalls of poor planning. Despite all her success, her family was left to deal with years of legal battles, stress, and emotional turmoil—all of which could have been entirely avoided with a proper estate plan.

Think about that for a moment: If this can happen to a legendary icon with an estate valued at $18 million, it can happen to anyone. We often believe estate planning is something only the rich and famous need to worry about, but the truth is, it’s something everyone should take seriously. You don’t need to be wealthy to run into the same kinds of issues. Whether your estate is worth millions or a fraction of that, without proper legal documentation in place, your family could be left facing court battles, confusion, and disputes about how your assets should be handled.

The last thing you want is to leave your loved ones in turmoil. Without a solid plan, the people you care about most could be stuck fighting over assets, dealing with creditors, or struggling to make decisions about your healthcare or property. It’s a heartbreaking situation that too many families experience because estate planning was put off or neglected altogether. These are not issues that can be fixed after the fact.

Think about how difficult it will already be for your family in the event of your passing. Do you really want to add legal battles and financial confusion to their grief? Estate planning is about much more than distributing assets. It’s about making sure your wishes are honored and that the people you leave behind are taken care of without unnecessary stress. It’s about ensuring there’s no guessing, no fighting, and no drawn-out court proceedings.

At Bascom Law, we specialize in helping families avoid exactly this kind of situation. We can work with you to create a customized, legally sound plan that ensures your assets are distributed according to your wishes and that your family is protected from confusion and conflict. Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy—it’s for anyone who cares about their family and wants to leave behind clarity, not chaos. Even if you think your estate is too small to worry about, you still need a plan.

Without one, your loved ones could be left with debts to pay, court fees, and estate taxes that drain any assets you’ve left behind. And if your estate ends up in probate without clear instructions, it could be months or even years before your assets are distributed. Imagine your family struggling, all because a proper estate plan wasn’t in place.

But the good news is, you have the power to prevent this. Creating an estate plan gives you control over what happens to your assets, your property, and your family’s future. It ensures your wishes are honored and that the people you love most are taken care of without uncertainty or dispute.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. You’ve worked hard for what you have—whether it’s a home, a retirement account, or personal possessions—and you deserve to decide how those assets will be managed. Don’t let the courts or other people make those decisions for you. At Bascom Law, we’re here to help you protect everything you’ve built. We’ll guide you through the process of creating a comprehensive estate plan that gives you and your family the peace of mind you deserve.

Give us a call today at 770-285-5493 to schedule a consultation. Let’s make sure your family never has to experience what Aretha Franklin’s family went through. Let’s protect your legacy.

Sincerely and Thanks,

Mike

Mike Bascom
Bascom Law, PC
Estate Planning & Elder Law