When Michael Jackson died unexpectedly on June 25, 2009, he left behind three minor children, Michael Joseph "Prince" Jackson, Jr., Paris Katherine Michael Jackson, and Prince Michael "Blanket" Jackson II. Fortunately for them, he also left an estate plan including a last will and testament and a revocable living trust named the Michael Jackson Family Trust.

Michael Jackson Family Trust

Because Michael Jackson's estate plan is a trust-based estate plan, as opposed to a will-based estate plan, his last will and testament—referred to by estate planning attorneys as a pour over will—is a relatively short document consisting of only five pages. This means the Michael Jackson Family Trust is the true governing document of Michael Jackson's estate.

Michael Jackson signed the original trust agreement on November 1, 1995, but the governing trust agreement that existed at the time of Jackson's death back in June 2009 was a fully amended and restated version signed by him on March 2, 2002.

A long-time attorney for the Jackson family, John Branca, music executive John McClain, and accountant Barry Siegel were named to serve as co-trustees of the trust. Barry Siegel signed a letter on August 26, 2003, in which he declined to serve as a co-trustee, leaving Branca and McClain to serve as the co-trustees. Both still serve in this capacity today, and are co-executors of Michael Jackson's estate.

Under normal circumstances, the trust agreement should remain as a private document that only family members and those named in the trust can read, but because of Michael Jackson's fame, a copy of the Michael Jackson Family Trust was released to the public about a year after the singer's death.

Summary of Provisions of the Family Trust

Here is a summary listing the contents of the 21-page Michael Jackson Family Trust agreement: