The Will of Elvis Presley
Known as "The King," Presley sold more than 45 million
records and starred in 33 motion pictured. He left much of his vast
fortune to members of his family.
Last Will And Testament Of Elvis A. Presley, Deceased Filed August 22,
1977
Last Will And Testament of Elvis Presley
I, Elvis A. Presley, a resident and citizen of Shelby County,
Tennessee, being of sound mind and disposing memory, do hereby make,
publish and declare this instrument to be my last will and testament,
hereby revoking any and all wills and codicils by me at any time
heretofore made.
Item I
Debts, Expenses and Taxes
I direct my Executor, hereinafter named, to pay all of my matured debts
and my funeral expenses, as well as the costs and expenses of the
administration of my estate, as soon after my death as practicable. I
further direct that all estate, inheritance, transfer and succession taxes
which are payable by reason under this will, be paid out of my residuary
estate; and I hereby waive on behalf of my estate any right to recover
from any person any part of such taxes so paid. My Executor, in his sole
discretion, may pay from my domiciliary estate all or any portion of the
costs of ancillary administration and similar proceedings in other
jurisdictions.
Item II
Instruction Concerning Personal Property: Enjoyment in Specie
I anticipate that included as a part of my property and estate at the
time of my death will be tangible personal property of various kinds,
characters and values, including trophies and other items accumulated by
me during my professional career. I hereby specifically instruct all
concerned that my Executor, herein appointed, shall have complete freedom
and discretion as to disposal of any and all such property so long as he
shall act in good faith and in the best interest of my estate and my
beneficiaries, and his discretion so exercised shall not be subject to
question by anyone whomsoever.
I hereby expressly authorize my Executor and my Trustee, respectively
and successively, to permit any beneficiary of any and all trusts created
hereunder to enjoy in specie the use or benefit of any household goods,
chattels, or other tangible personal property (exclusive of choses in
action, cash, stocks, bonds or other securities) which either my Executor
or my Trustees may receive in kind, and my Executor and my Trustees shall
not be liable for any consumption, damage, injury to or loss of any
tangible property so used, nor shall the beneficiaries of any trusts
hereunder or their executors of administrators be liable for any
consumption, damage, injury to or loss of any tangible personal property
so used.
Item III
Real Estate
If I am the owner of any real estate at the time of my death, I
instruct and empower my Executor and my Trustee (as the case may be) to
hold such real estate for investment, or to sell same, or any portion
therof, as my Executor or my Trustee (as the case may be) shall in his
sole judgment determine to be for the best interest of my estate and the
beneficiaries thereof.
Item IV
Residuary Trust
After payment of all debts, expenses and taxes as directed under Item I
hereof, I give, devise, and bequeath all the rest, residue, and remainder
of my estate, including all lapsed legacies and devices, and any property
over which I have a power of appointment, to my Trustee, hereinafter
named, in trust for the following purposes:
(a) The Trustees is directed to take, hold, manage, invest and reinvent
the corpus of the trust and to collect the income therefrom in accordance
with the rights, powers, duties, authority and discretion hereinafter set
forth. The Trustee is directed to pay all the expenses, taxes and costs
incurred in the management of the trust estate out of the income thereof.
(b) After payment of all expenses, taxes and costs incurred in the
management of the expenses, taxes and costs incurred in the management of
the trust estate, the Trustee is authorizes to accumulate the net income
or to pay or apply so much of the net income and such portion of the
principal at any time and from time to time to time for health, education,
support, comfortable maintenance and welfare of: (1) My daughter, Lisa
Marie Presley, and any other lawful issue I might have, (2) my
grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley, (3) my father, Vernon E. Presley, and (4)
such other relatives of mine living at the time of my death who in the
absolute discretion of my Trustees are in need of emergency assistance for
any of the above mentioned purposes and the Trustee is able to make such
distribution without affecting the ability of the trust to meet the
present needs of the first three numbered categories of beneficiaries
herein mentioned or to meet the reasonably expected future needs of the
first three classes of beneficiaries herein mentioned. Any decision of the
Trustee as to whether or not distribution, to any of the persons described
hereunder shall be final and conclusive and not subject to question by any
legatee or beneficiary hereunder.
(c) Upon the death of my Father, Vernon E. Presley, the Trustee is
instructed to make no further distributions to the fourth category of
beneficiaries and such beneficiaries shall cease to have any interest
whatsoever in this trust.
(d) Upon the death of both my said father and my said grandmother, the
Trustee is directed to divide the Residuary Trust into separate and equal
trusts, creating one such equal trust for each of my lawful children then
surviving and one such equal trust for the living issue collectively, if
any, of any deceased child of mine. The share, if any, for the issue of
any such deceased child, shall immediately vest in such issue in equal
shares but shall be subject to the provisions of Item V herein. Separate
books and records shall be kept for each trust, but it shall not be
necessary that a physical division of the assets be made as to each trust.
The Trustee may from time to time distribute the whole or any part of
the net income or principal from each of the aforesaid trusts as the
Trustee, in its uncontrolled discretion, considers necessary or desirable
to provide for the comfortable support, education, maintenance, benefit
and general welfare of each of my children. Such distributions may be made
directly to such beneficiary or to the guardian of the person of such
beneficiary and without repsonsibilty on my Trustee to see to the
application of nay such distributions and in making such distributions,
the Trustee shall take into account all other sources of funds known by
the Trustee to be available for each respective beneficiary for such
purpose.
(e) As each of my respective children attains the age of twenty-five
(25) years and provided that both my father and my grandmother are
deceased, the trust created hereunder for such child care terminate, and
all the remainder of the assets then contained in said trust shall be
distributed to such child so attaining the age of twenty-five (25) years
outright and free of further trust.
(f) If any of my children for whose benefit a trust has been created
hereunder should die before attaining the age of twenty- five (25) years,
then the trust created for such a child shall terminate on his death, and
all remaining assets then contained in said trust shall be distributed
outright and free of further trust and in equal shares to the surviving
issue of such deceased child but subject to the provisions of Item V
herein; but if there be no such surviving issue, then to the brothers and
sisters of such deceased child in equal shares, the issue of any other
deceased child being entitled collectively to their deceased parent's
share. Nevertheless, if any distribution otherwise becomes payable
outright and free of trust under the provisions of this paragraph (f) of
the Item IV of my will to a beneficiary for whom the Trustee is then
administering a trust for the benefit of such beneficiary under provisions
of this last will and testament, such distribution shall not be paid
outright to such beneficiary but shall be added to and become a part of
the trust so being administered for such beneficiary by the Trustee.
Item V
Distribution to Minor Children
If any share of corpus of any trust established under this will become
distributable outright and free of trust to any beneficiary before said
beneficiary has attained the age of eighteen (18) years, then said share
shall immediately vest in said beneficiary, but the Trustee shall retain
possession of such share during the period in which such beneficiary is
under the age of eighteen (18) years, and, in the meantime, shall use and
expend so much of the income and principal for the care, support, and
education of such beneficiary, and any income not so expended with respect
to each share so retained all the power and discretion had with respect to
such trust generally.
Item VI
Alternate Distributees
In the event that all of my descendants should be deceased at any time
prior to the time for the termination of the trusts provided for herein,
then in such event all of my estate and all the assets of every trust to
be created hereunder (as the case may be) shall then distributed outright
in equal shares to my heirs at law per stripes.
Item VII
Unenforceable Provisions
If any provisions of this will are unenforceable, the remaining
provisions shall, nevertheless, be carried into effect.
Item VIII
Life Insurance
If my estate is the beneficiary of any life insurance on my life at the
time of my death, I direct that the proceeds therefrom will be used by my
Executor in payment of the debts , expenses and taxes listed in Item I of
this will, to the extent deemed advisable by the Executor. All such
proceeds not so used are to be used by my Executor for the purpose of
satisfying the devises and bequests contained in Item IV herein.
Item IX
Spendthrift Provision
I direct that the interest of any beneficiary in principal or income of
any trust created hereunder shall not be subject to claims of creditors or
others, nor to legal process, and may not be voluntarily or involuntarily
alienated or encumbered except as herein provided. Any bequests contained
herein for any female shall be for her sole and separate use, free from
the debts, contracts and control of any husband she may ever have.
Item X
Proceeds From Personal Services
All sums paid after my death (either to my estate or to any of the
trusts created hereunder) and resulting from personal services rendered by
me during my lifetime, including, but not limited to, royalties of all
nature, concerts, motion picture contracts, and personal appearances shall
be considered to be income, notwithstanding the provisions of estate and
trust law to the contrary.
Item XI
Executor and Trustee
I appoint as executor of this, my last will and testament, and as
Trustee of every trust required to be created hereunder, my said father.
I hereby direct that my said father shall be entitled by his last will
ant testament, duly probated, to appoint a successor Executor of my
estate, as well as a successor Trustee or successor Trustees of all the
trusts to be created under my last will and testament.
If, for any reason, my said father be unable to serve or to continue to
serve as Executor and/or as Trustee, or if he be deceased and shall not
have appointed a successor Executor or Trustee, by virtue of his last will
and testament as stated -above, then I appoint National Bank of Commerce,
Memphis, Tennessee, or its successor or the institution with which it may
merge, as successor Executor and/or as successor Trustee of all trusts
required to be established hereunder.
None of the appointees named hereunder,including any appointment made
by virtue of the last will and testament of my said father, shall be
required to furnish any bond or security for performance of the respective
fiduciary duties required hereunder, notwithstanding any rule of law to
the contrary.
Item XII
Powers, Duties, Privileges and Immunities of the Trustee
Except as otherwise stated expressly to the contrary herein, I give and
grant to the said Trustee (and to the duly appointed successor Trustee
when acting as such) the power to do everything he deems advisable with
respect to the administration of each trust required to be established
under this, my last will and Testament, even though such powers would not
be authorized or appropriate for the Trustee under statutory or other
rules of law. By way of illustration and not in limitation of the
generality of the foregoing grant of power and authority of the Trustee, I
give and grant to him plenary power as follows:
(a) To exercise all those powers authorized to fiduciaries under the
provisions of the Tennessee Code Annotated, Sections 35-616 to 35-618,
inclusive, including any amendments thereto in effect at the time of my
death, and the same are expressly referred to and incorporated herein by
reference.
(b) Plenary power is granted to the Trustee, not only to relieve him
from seeking judicial instruction, but to the extent that the Trustee
deems it to be prudent, to encourage determinations freely to be made in
favor of persons who are the current income beneficiaries. In such
instances the rights of all subsequent beneficiaries are subordinate, and
the Trustee shall not be answerable to any subsequent beneficiary for
anything done or omitted in favor of a current income beneficiary may
compel any such favorable or preferential treatment. Without in anywise
minimizing or impairing the scope of this declaration of intent, it
includes investment policy, exercise of discretionary power to pay or
apply principal and income, and determination principal and income
questions;
(c) It shall be lawful for the Trustee to apply any sum that is payable
to or for the benefit of a minor (or any other person who in the Judgment
of the Trustee, is incapable of making proper disposition thereof) by
payments in discharge of the costs and expenses of educating, maintaining
and supporting said beneficiary, or to make payment to anyone with whom
said beneficiary resides or who has the care or custody of the
beneficiary, temporarily or permanently, all without intervention of any
guardian or like fiduciary. The receipt of anyone to whom payment is so
authorized to be made shall be a complete discharge of the Trustees
without obligation on his part to see to the further application hereto,
and without regard to other resource that the beneficiary may have, or the
duty of any other person to support the beneficiary;
(d) In Dealing with the Trustee, no grantee, pledge, vendee, mortgage,
lessee or other transference of the trust properties, or any part therof,
shall be bound to inquire with respect to the purpose or necessity of any
such disposition or to see to the application of any consideration
therefore paid to the Trustee.
Item XIII
Concerning the Trustee and the Executor
(a) If at any time the Trustee shall have reasonable doubt as to his
power, authority or duty in the administration of any trust herein
created, it shall be lawful for the Trustee to obtain the advice and
counsel of reputable legal counsel without resorting to the courts for
instructions; and the Trustee shall be fully absolved from all liability
and damage or detriment to the various trust estates of any beneficiary
thereunder by reason of anything done, suffered or omitted pursuant to
advice of said counsel given and obtained in good faith, provided that
nothing contained herein shall be construed to prohibit or prevent the
Trustee in all proper cases from applying to a court of competent
jurisdiction for instructions in the administration of the trust assets in
lieu of obtaining advice of counsel.
(b) In managing, investing, and controlling the various trust estates,
the Trustee shall exercise the judgment and care under the circumstances
then prevailing, which men of prudence discretion and judgment exercise in
the management of their own affairs, not in regard to speculation, but in
regard to the permanent disposition of their funds, considering the
probable income as well as the probable safety of their capital, and, in
addition, the purchasing power of income distribution to beneficiaries.
(c) My Trustee (as well as my Executor) shall be entitled to reasonable
and adequate and adequate compensation for the fiduciary services rendered
by him.
(d) My Executor and his successor Executor and his successor Executor
shall have the same rights, privileges, powers and immunities herein
granted to my Trustee wherever appropriate.
(e) In referring to any fiduciary hereunder, for purposes of
construction, masculine pronouns may include a corporate fiduciary and
neutral pronouns may include an individual fiduciary.
Item XIV
Law Against Perpetuities
(a) Having in mind the rule against perpetuities, I direct that
(notwithstanding anything contained to the contrary in this last will and
testament) each trust created under this will (except such trust created
under this will (except such trusts as have heretofore vested in
compliance with such rule or law) shall end, unless sooner terminated
under other provisions of this will, twenty-one (21) years after the death
of the last survivor of such of the beneficiaries hereunder as are living
at the time of my death; and thereupon that the property held in trust
shall be distributed free of all trust to the persons then entitled to
receive the income and/or principal therefrom, in the proportion in
proportion in which they are then entitled to receive such income.
(b) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this will to the
contrary, I direct that if any distribution under this will become payable
to a person for whom the Trustee is then administering a trust created
hereunder for the benefit of such person, such distribution shall be made
to such trust and not to the beneficiary outright, and the funds so
passing to such trust shall become a part thereof as corpus and be
administered and distributed to the same extent and purpose as if such
funds had been a part of such a trust at its inception.
Item XV
Payment of Estate and Inheritance Taxes
Notwithstanding the provisions of Item X herein, I authorize my
Executor to use such sums received by my estate after my death and
resulting from my personal services as identified in Item X as he deem
necessary and advisable in order to pay the taxes referred to in Item I of
my said will.
In WITNESS WHEREOF, I, the said ELVIS A. PRESLEY, do hereunto set my
hand and seal in the presence of two (2) competent witnesses, and in their
presence do publish and declare this instrument to be my Last Will and
Testament, this 3 day of March, 1977.
[Signed by Elvis A. Presley]
ELVIS A. PRESLEY
The foregoing instrument, consisting of this and eleven (11) preceding
typewritten pages, was signed, sealed, published and declared by ELVIS
A.PRESLEY, the Testator, to be his Last Will and Testament, in our
presence, and we, at his request and in his presence and in the presence
of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses, this 3 day
of March, 1977, at Memphis, Tennessee.
[Signed by Ginger Alden]
Ginger Alden residing at 4152 Royal Crest Place
[Signed by Charles F. Hodge]
Charles F. Hodge residing at 3764 Elvis Presley Blvd.
[Signed by Ann Dewey Smith]
Ann Dewey Smith residing at 2237 Court Avenue.
State of Tennessee
County of Shelby
Ginger Alden, Charles F. Hodge, and Ann Dewey Smith, after being first
duly sworn, make oath or affirm that the foregoing Last Will and
Testament, in the sight and presence of us, the undersigned, who at his
request and in his sight and presence, and in the sight and presence of
each other, have subscribed our names as attesting witnesses on the 3 day
of March, 1977, and we further make oath or affirm that the Testator was
of sound mind and disposing memory and not acting under fraud, menace or
undue influence of any person, and was more than eighteen (18) years of
age; and that each of the attesting witnesses is more than eighteen (18)
years of age.
[Signed by Ginger Alden]
Ginger Alden
[Signed by Charles F. Hodge]
Charles F. Hodge
[Signed by Ann Dewey Smith]
Ann Dewey Smith
Sworn To And Subscribed before me this 3 day of March, 1977.
Drayton Beecker Smith II Notary Public
My commission expires:
August 8, 1979
Admitted to probate and Ordered Recorded August 22, 1977
Joseph W. Evans, Judge
Recorded August 22, 1977
B.J. Dunavant, Clerk
By: Jan Scott, D.C. |