Brian Wilson’s Family Files for Conservatorship

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Brian Wilson Conservatorship Request

Sometimes all the careful planning still leaves gaps. This Spring, Beach Boys Singer Brian Wilson was left in limbo after the sudden death of his wife. Wilson’s wife of 28 years, Melinda Wilson, managed her husband’s affairs. In 1995, Melinda became Brian Wilson’s conservator. She had an Advanced Care Directive that named her as the agent of Wilson’s health care. Unfortunately, a successor was not listed in the directive and following her death the family had to step in.

Brian Wilson was diagnosed with bipolar schizoaffective disorder when he was in his forties and more recently with dementia. His family requested a judge appoint Jean Sievers and LeeAnn Hard, his publicist and manager respectively, as his co-conservators of his person. The conservatorship is not over Wilson’s finances or estate as his assets are already in a trust.

The judge in the case, Judge Gus T. May, granted the petition of conservatorship and ruled that all seven of Wilson’s children will be part of a text chain from Wilson’s nurses as well as involved in all material healthcare decisions.

The family worked together to address the situation to ensure that no extreme changes occurred in Wilson’s household. The goal is to make certain that Wilson’s daily living needs are satisfied, and he can continue in his current lifestyle.

This high-profile case stands as a reminder to routinely check in with your estate planning team and review your estate plan components to keep them updated. This extra step helps avoid encountering a similar situation as Brian Wilson’s family.