A Michigan jury ruled that a will found in Aretha Franklin's couch is valid, hopefully ending a grueling five-year battle over her estate. Five years of bickering and legal fees probably isn’t what the legendary singer had envisioned for her family after her death. However, arguments—and more—are what could happen if you don't have a proper estate plan in place.
While Franklin's case may be a bit extreme, it still takes on average 400 hours over 16 months and $12,400 in fees to finalize an estate, according to a study commissioned by ClearEstate, an estate planning and settlement company. But this doesn't have to be the case for your loved ones.
