Mr. Simpson’s entire estate was worth millions in a vast collection of African and modern art, not to mention art in his own name as an artist of no little esteem. Tragically, in the end there was no money for the funeral. In addition, what happens if and when the taxes come due? That’s when expensive collections of illiquid assets are sold at auction, oftentimes for pennies on the dollar.
Now there’s more to the story of Mr. Simpson and many more lessons to be gleaned regarding proper financial and estate planning, as well as a bit of family intrigue. The takeaway: if one dies with an estate of priceless, illiquid assets – then one’s estate may find itself deep in the desert with a purse full of gold, but not a drop of cool water to drink.
For more information, please visit my estate planning website.
