Aretha Franklin passed away without leaving a will behind. Her family will likely take years to divide her assets according to Michigan law. Franklin's four sons are handed the task of attributing themselves equal parts of the inheritance.
The Queen of Soul, who died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76, was worth millions. It is likely that her sons will take years to split her belongings equally amongst themselves while the IRS conducts an audit of her holdings.
Franklin owned several properties in Detroit and also retained the rights to the songs she penned. Her lawyer, Don Wilson, says the singer was aware of the importance of creating a will.
"She never told me, 'No, I don’t want to do one.' She understood the need. It just didn’t seem to be something she got around to."
Ron Moten, a family friend, gave advice to Aretha's sons during her funeral service on Friday. He urges them not to be hasty with the use of their inheritance.
"Remember your family, and friends that have been with you for years. Because you are about to meet a lot of people who will now want to be your new best friend. You will also meet some people that will have the best investments in the world for you. My advice? Go slow, be careful and be smart."
