Source: Kevin Winter / Getty
Allison Holker, the wife of the late DJ Stephen “tWitch” Boss, is pleading with court officials to gain access to her deceased husband’s assets and future royalties.
Boss died by suicide in December 2022. The talented dancer didn’t have a will at the time of his death. By definition, it’s a legal document that designates how a person’s financial affairs and property are to be distributed after their death. Now, the grieving mother of three is battling with the court to gain control over the famed dancer’s assets.
Holker filed a California Spousal Property Petition at the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles April 17, according to documents obtained by People. By California law, a surviving spouse is entitled to their deceased partner’s estate, but they must file a petition to show proof that they are the legal spouse of the person who died.
The filing includes facts about the couple’s relationship timeline, including when they were married and their “nil” net worth.
In the petition, the wife of the late star asked the court for a “confirmation of property belonging to the surviving spouse” and a “determination of property passing to the surviving spouse.” If granted, the motion will allow Holker to transfer over assets and any money from her deceased husband into her name without having to go through the difficult process of probate, Finurah notes.
According to the filing, Holker is requesting to have all shares of stock passed and confirmed from Boss’ various projects into her name. She’s also requesting half of the late dancer’s company Stephen Boss Productions and the assets that are tied to his Goldman Sachs investment account and other various projects. During his entertainment career, Boss generated royalties from Cast and Crew Production Services; Disney Worldwide Services Inc and SAG/AFTRA, the court filing states.
The widow currently receives $600,000 worth of royalties from Boss’ company and $26,924.19 from his Goldman Sachs portfolio due to her beneficiary status, according to the Blast.
Boss left a suicide note hinting at past challenges
Boss, the beloved DJ who made fans laugh and smile on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, committed suicide at the Los Angeles-based Oak Tree Inn Motel in December 2022. Law enforcement said that 40-year-old left a note that made reference to past challenges and struggles, although it’s unclear what he was referring to.
Boss checked into the motel on the morning of Dec. 12, 2022, a day before his death. He arrived in an Uber and turned his cell phone on airplane mode so no one could contact him or trace his phone.
Staffers said the late entertainer did not look upset or in distress when he arrived at the motel. The late star is survived by his wife and their three children Weslie Fowler, Maddox Laurel and Zaia.
If everything works out with the court battle, it’s unclear how tWitch’s assets will be allocated among Holker and the late star’s mother, Connie Boss Alexander. A report by RadarOnline noted that days after the So You Think You Can Dance alum’s passing, Alexander rushed to the Encino, California home that Holker shared with Boss for emotional support. Boss and his mother were close. Hopefully, Holker will do the right thing.
Boss isn’t the only celebrity to die without a will. Takeoff, the late Migos rapper who was gunned down in Houston in 2022, also died without a will. His family was forced to battle amongst one another for access to his whopping $26 million fortune.
The issue appears to be a growing problem in the Black community.
According to a Consumer Reports survey published in 2022, more than 77 percent of Black Americans don’t have a will in place. In the survey, 25 percent of participants said that they lacked estate planning because they didn’t feel like they had enough assets to leave behind for their loved ones. Twenty percent said they weren’t sure how to create a will, while 23 percent said they were too young to start thinking about estate planning.
RELATED CONTENT: 10 Things Estate Planners Won’t Tell You
