Soul queen Aretha Franklin, who passed away last week aged 76, didn’t have a will.
According to documents obtained by TMZ, the Natural Woman hitmaker died “intestate”, meaning she had no will at the time of death, and therefore her estate will be divided according to Michigan law.
The law states her four sons - Clarence, 63, Edward, 61, Ted, 54, and Kecalf, 48 - will each get an equal portion of the star’s estate.
The RESPECT hitmaker has battled pancreatic cancer for several years and passed away on 16 August after being “gravely ill” for some time before her death.
In a statement, her family said: “In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family.”
Her funeral will be on 31 August at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan.
Before the burial, fans will have a chance to bid farewell to the music icon during two public viewings on 28 and 29 August.