Published on: 6th March 2023

Lisa Marie Presley’s Will Disputed: Importance of Seeking Professional Advice

Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of legend Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley died earlier this year aged 54. Priscilla has since disputed the validity of Lisa Marie’s Will and asked American Courts to deem it invalid.

In 2016 Lisa Marie made an amendment to a trust within her Will which Priscilla’s lawyers have noted contains several issues and inconsistencies. Notably, Priscilla’s name is incorrectly spelt within the document and a claim has been made that the changes were not witnessed. In addition to this, Priscilla’s lawyers have noted that Lisa Marie signature was not consistent with other documents she signed.

It has been reported that one of the requirements within the Will was that any amendments made to the trust must have been presented to Priscilla. However, Priscilla’s lawyers have argued that she was only made aware of the change after her daughter’s death. Lisa Marie’s amendment in 2016 was to replace her mother as a trustee with two of her children. If held to be valid, Priscilla would not have any power over her daughter’s trust. 

When looking to make amendments to your own Will it is crucial to obtain professional advice. Any amendments may seem minor but could end up having a bigger impact on your beneficiaries. It is important to ensure amendments are done in the correct way to avoid any issues during the estate administration. Errors in terminology or execution can deem a Will invalid and could mean your family face a considerably lengthy and costly process to try and fix it. By seeking professional advice, you are additionally able to consider the inheritance tax implication of any changes in your estate planning and have peace of mind that your wishes are met.

If you wish to discuss amendments to an existing Will or Estate Planning in general with one of our consultants, please call our client services team on 01732 868190 or click here to book.

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