Bees’ Burt Will Bee Missed
Bees and people alike mourn the death of Burt.
Burt Shavitz, the Maine mastermind behind those little golden chapsticks that you may use or not use, left the world of the living this week. His respiratory related death is far from tragic – on the contrary, the bearded champion of lip balm seems to have lived a full and rewarding life. Search for the guy on Google Images: pretty much unanimously happy faces in his pictures. The business he so successfully created also appears to be in good hands. But what exactly did he leave beehind?
Well for starters, owners sold his famous Burt’s Bees franchise to Clorox in 2007 after 23 bombastic years of steadily increasing acclaim. His beeswax was first marketed from a roadside stand in the early 80’s, until a fateful meeting with a hitchhiking candlemaker in 1984. They joined forces, eventually resulting in the lip balm empire consumers know and love. One can assume there’s no question the already well-managed business will continue to run just as smoothly in Clorox’s economically capable hands, despite the loss of its founder.
Mo Money, Mo Problems
The Shavitz estate may not have included the actual franchise, but one can imagine the wealth accumulated throughout the years of business. When Burt’s Bee’s was sold to Clorox, the price tag was a whopping $925 million. There’s probably some monstrous assets in need of dispersement in Burt’s will. Hopefully everything is in order and the executing is proceeding smoothly, but this isn’t always the case. Often executors managing the probate procedures have to settle at least a few debates with inheritors and their attorneys, or creditors if there are debts involved.
Interpreting a last will and testament is a tricky job. The number one priority, of course, is to do as much as possible toward respecting the wishes of the deceased. But there are also a lot of living people to please. Everyone wants their fair share. And the larger the estate, the higher the chance of complications surfacing at some point. Who knows what sort of places Shavitz put his fortune after he left the beeswax biz. Who knows who, if anyone, is mentioned in his will? He was a lonely man, but it’s beyond doubtful that there aren’t some greedy faces out there using the ‘ole “Burty’s long lost cousin.”
Estate Litigation And Tennessee
If Burt had died in Tennessee, there are a few things inheritors would probably want to know about the probate process. First off, with the potential fortune this guy had, there could be a LOT of cool stuff to “go around.” If a lot of people are involved, things could get brutal. Tennessee probate law is based on the idea that “sound minds” are capable of making individual choices. So, if the executor is doing a bad job, it could be hard to prove mental instability in a person whose mind is no longer accessible. Furthermore, Tennessee has its own particular deadlines and schedules for estate administration. Things tend to get more stressful when there’s a reason to rush.
At Turner Law Offices, P.C., we’ve been through countless probate cases over the years and we know what it takes to win. Our team of experienced attorneys are waiting to hear what you have to say, and give you the navigation you need to be secure and stress-free. Call our us today, or go online to set up your Free Initial Consultation. Losing a loved one is rarely easy – and we can help.
