“Last week, a judge in Tennessee ruled that the three children can dispute the validity of the wills that excluded them from inheriting. They petitioned the court to certify that a contest to the will exists, on grounds of his alleged lack of capacity and undue influence.”
When Glen Campbell passed away, he intentionally left three of his children from his second marriage out of his wills. Three of his children have just won a court decision, reports Wealth Management.com in the article “Glen Campbell’s Kids Come After the Rhinestone Cowboy’s Estate.”
The two wills at the heart of the case are from 2001 and 2006. The 2006 will names Campbell’s fourth wife Kimberly, who is the executor of the estate, and five of Campbell’s other children as his beneficiaries. Campbell went public with his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2011, but it’s not known how far back his illness began. The legal burden facing his children: prove that he lacked the needed capacity to execute both wills.
If the will is deemed invalid because of lack of capacity or undue influence, the immediately preceding will is resurrected, said one estate planning attorney who is not affiliated with the case. The previous will probably disinherited them also, which is why they must prove the invalidity of both wills.
Kimberly has told a local newspaper that she would not challenge the kid’s right to contest the wills and the judge’s decision noted the lack of opposition. She has also filed a claim seeking reimbursement from the estate for more than $500,000 to cover the cost of his medical care.
It was also reported that one of his daughters, Debbie Campbell-Cloyd, has filed for a complete accounting of all payments made by the estate, as well as payments to and from a previously undisclosed bank account. She alleges that royalties that should have been deposited into an account controlled by Campbell’s estate, were instead deposited into this account, which is now controlled by Kimberly. The singer’s former manager has power of attorney over the account.
Multiple children from multiple marriages make estates complicated, even if you aren’t a legendary country music singer. For blended families, estate planning that includes family meetings can sometimes help prevent misunderstandings and estate battles.
Resource: Wealth Management.com (Aug. 2, 2018) “Glen Campbell’s Kids Come After the Rhinestone Cowboy’s Estate”
Suggested Key Terms: Wills, Lack of Capacity, Undue Influence, Executor, Alzheimer’s, Disinherited
Comments