Michael Jackson’s posthumous estate is reportedly worth around $2 billion. This marks a significant financial turnaround, as the estate was apparently $500 million in debt at the time of the musician’s passing in 2009.
Over time, the executors managed to transform the financial position of the estate through the management and monetization of intellectual property, which includes Michael Jackson’s music catalogues, commercial partnerships, and licensing deals.
The contrast between the estate’s initial debt and later financial performance is often cited as a defining quality of the estate’s administration. Still, this historical success does not exempt the executors from probate rules and standards.