When Whitney Houston tragically passed away in 2012 at the age of 48, questions immediately began swirling about what would happen to her vast fortune and her musical legacy. As one of the best-selling music artists of all time, selling over 200 million records worldwide, Whitney amassed a great deal of wealth during her iconic career. But with her sudden death, the big question was – who stood to inherit Whitney’s fortune?
What was Whitney Houston’s net worth?
At the time of her death in 2012, Whitney Houston’s net worth was estimated to be around $20 million. The majority of her wealth came from album sales, touring, and acting roles in hit films like The Bodyguard. During the 1980s and 90s, Whitney was one of the biggest pop stars in the world and commanded massive fees for her concerts, especially during her Bodyguard tour which became one of the top-grossing tours by a female artist. Her acting roles, modeling contracts, and endorsement deals added to her fortune over the decades.
While $20 million is still an impressive net worth, it represents a decline from Whitney’s peak fortune in the 90s which was estimated at over $100 million. Her fortune dwindled in the 2000s due to declining record sales, fallout from her tumultuous relationship with Bobby Brown, and ongoing struggles with drug addiction. However, even with a reduced net worth, Whitney still had valuable assets and a significant fortune at the time of her passing.
Who inherited Whitney’s assets?
The primary heir to Whitney Houston’s fortune was her only daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown. Bobbi Kristina was Whitney’s only child, born when Whitney was married to singer Bobby Brown between 1992-2007. When Whitney died without a will in place, Bobbi Kristina was set to inherit her entire estate as her next of kin.
However, Bobbi Kristina tragically passed away herself in 2015 at the age of 22 after being found unresponsive in a bathtub, in eerily similar circumstances to her mother’s death. Since Bobbi Kristina died so soon after Whitney, legal battles ensued over who had the rights to Whitney’s assets and fortune.
Cissy Houston
With Bobbi Kristina deceased, Whitney Houston’s mother Cissy Houston and her two brothers became the beneficiaries of her estate. Cissy Houston received 20% of Whitney’s assets, including royalties from her music and proceeds from the sale of shared properties.
Gary Houston
Whitney’s older brother Gary Houston was awarded 24% of her assets. Gary had played an active role in managing his sister’s finances and career over the years.
Michael Houston
Her younger brother Michael Houston also received 24% of the assets. Together, Whitney’s two brothers inherited about half of her remaining fortune.
Bobbi Kristina Brown’s Estate
The remaining 32% of Whitney’s estate went to Bobbi Kristina’s estate, which then had to be divided among her own relatives and heirs including her father Bobby Brown. Bobbi Kristina’s estate inherited the full $20 million she was originally set to receive from Whitney’s fortune. However, it became subject to creditor claims and legal judgements before eventually passing to her paternal side of the family.
Breakdown of Whitney Houston’s Fortune
To summarize, here is a breakdown of who inherited Whitney Houston’s estimated $20 million fortune:
| Heir | Percentage | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cissy Houston (mother) | 20% | $4 million |
| Gary Houston (brother) | 24% | $4.8 million |
| Michael Houston (brother) | 24% | $4.8 million |
| Bobbi Kristina Brown Estate | 32% | $6.4 million |
| Total | 100% | $20 million |
What happened to Bobbi Kristina’s inheritance?
Bobbi Kristina was set to receive the full $20 million inheritance from her mother when she turned 30 years old. However, with her untimely death at a young age, the money instead went to her estate which became subject to creditor claims and legal judgements.
Here is what happened to the estimated $6.4 million she inherited from Whitney’s estate:
- $2 million went towards settling a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Bobbi Kristina’s partner Nick Gordon, who was found legally responsible for her death.
- $500,000 went to resolving creditor claims made against the estate.
- $1.2 million went to paying estate taxes.
- The remaining $2.7 million was awarded to her father, Bobby Brown, as her nearest living heir. He also received her personal belongings.
So in the end, Bobbi Kristina’s father Bobby Brown and paternal relatives received what remained of her inheritance from Whitney after the various debts and judgements against her estate were resolved.
What about Whitney’s royalties and assets?
In addition to the cash inheritance, Whitney Houston’s family members inherited her extensive royalties and remaining assets. This included:
- Proceeds from sales of her music catalog and royalties from radio play.
- Royalties from The Bodyguard movie and soundtrack.
- Proceeds from the sale of shared homes and properties.
- Income from her remaining investments, trusts, and retirement accounts.
- Proceeds from any posthumous projects released.
These ongoing royalty streams and asset sales continued generating income for her heirs for years after her death. Cissy Houston and her brothers likely earned millions more from these assets on top of their cash inheritance.
Legal disputes over Whitney’s estate
With so much money on the line, Whitney Houston’s estate was subject to bitter legal disputes and allegations after her death. Some of the key legal battles included:
- IRS estate taxes – Whitney’s estate owed nearly $12 million in federal estate taxes which had to be paid out before assets could be distributed.
- Bobbi Kristina’s inheritance – Cissy Houston and Bobby Brown fought over whether to delay Bobbi Kristina receiving her full inheritance due to her young age and drug use.
- Bobbi Kristina’s wrongful death – After Krissy’s death, her estate filed a $40 million lawsuit against Nick Gordon accusing him of causing her fatal injuries and stealing her money.
- Royalty disputes – Whitney’s former record label Sony disputed the estate withholding some of her royalties and unreleased recordings.
The complex legal issues took years to fully resolve after Whitney’s sudden death. But eventually her family came to agreements allowing assets to finally be distributed according to her wishes.
Whitney’s legacy
While disputes over Whitney’s fortune caused rifts between her loved ones, her musical legacy has continued inspiring new generations of artists. Hits like “I Will Always Love You” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” remain staples on radio stations around the world.
Posthumous projects like hologram tours, documentaries, and new music releases have also added to her estate’s value. Though her life was cut short, Whitney Houston’s indelible impact on music continues earning great wealth for her family to this day.