Paris Jackson has asked a Los Angeles court to order a $600 million transfer from her late father’s estate to a family trust. The trust would benefit her and her brothers, Prince and Bigi. The request appears in court documents filed on October 29. Paris argues that the trust remains unfunded more than 17 years after Michael Jackson died in 2009. The trust was designed to support all three children. They were expected to receive income from their shares from age 21, with portions of the principal scheduled at ages 30, 35 and 40. Paris Jackson is 28. Her filing says the estate has not followed the intended arrangements. She wants a $600 million transfer, or another amount the judge considers appropriate.
Why is Paris seeking $600 million?
The filing points to estate transactions. These include the 2018 sale of its stake in EMI Music Publishing for $287.5 million, the $22 million sale of Neverland Ranch in 2020, and a 2023 Sony agreement involving music rights. The petition says these deals generated more than $1 billion before taxes and expenses. It cites an accounting showing about $850 million in cash at the end of 2024. Paris believes around $600 million could be transferred after liabilities.
How has Michael Jackson’s estate responded?
The estate’s administrators oppose the request. They say unresolved legal matters prevent them from fully funding the trusts. One major issue is an ongoing dispute with the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS previously sought about $700 million in taxes and penalties. The estate says a ruling reduced that amount, but the matter remains unresolved.
The administrators deny withholding or reducing payments. They say more than $200 million has already been distributed for the children’s benefit. The estate says Michael Jackson’s will delays direct distributions until his children reach their thirties. A spokesperson for Paris disputes that explanation. Her representative says the estate could have partially funded the trust earlier. Paris approached the court after years of delay, her side says.
When will the court consider the request?
The dispute follows other disagreements over estate management. In May, a judge ordered the return of $625,000 in bonus payments made to an outside law firm. The court is scheduled to hear Paris Jackson’s request on December 4. The judge will consider both sides before deciding. The filing does not mean the court has accepted Paris’s claims. The estate’s objections remain unresolved.
Paris Jackson caught up in legal battle over Michael Jackson’s estate.
