Aaron Carter Dead: Did Singer Have a Will?

The fate of Aaron Carter’s estate will be passed on to the State of California after the late pop singer reportedly died without a will. Carter tragically passed away on Saturday, Nov. 5 at the age of 34 of unknown reasons, leaving behind his 11-month-old Prince, who now may stand to inherit his father’s wealth.

Sources close to the family told TMZ that Carter did not leave behind a will. According to those sources, the late singer was advised by his lawyers to draw up a will following the birth of his son, whom he welcomed with on-again, off-again fiancée Melanie Martin in November 2021. However, amid the drama between him and Martin, Carter never got around to it, and although Carter was once again urged to create a will after Prince was removed from his and Martin’s home by the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services and placed in the care of Martin’s mother in September, he tragically died before he was able to do it. This means that the fate of Carter’s estate remains hanging in limbo.

Celebrity Net Worth lists Carter’s net worth at $400,000 at the time of his death. Carter accumulated his wealth throughout his career, which began at the young age of 9 with the release of his self-titled debut album in 1997. His second album, Aaron’s Party (Come Get It), made him a superstar in 2000, and he toured with The Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. He also acted, appearing in Lizzie McGuire, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and 7th Heaven, released two more hit albums as a pop singer, Oh Aaron and Another Earthquake!, and later transitioned to rap. He released his fifth and final album, LØVË, in 2018.

Carter, however, hit some financial troubles in his later years. In November 2013, he filed for bankruptcy in the state of Florida, citing $3.5 million in debt. In the filing, he listed his total assets at just $8,232.16 and an average monthly income of $2,000 and average monthly expenses of $2,005. TMZ‘s sources claimed he “was not in a good place financially when he died,” with one reporting that the musician “was living hand-to-mouth and would typically spend what he earned in short order.” Carter did have his house on the market, though.

What remains of Carter’s estate will likely be passed on to his son. Since Carter did not have a will, the State of California will decide who inherits his estate. In California, when a single person passes away without a will and leaves a child behind, the child inherits the parent’s estate. This means Prince likely stands to inherit his father’s estate, including any equity the sale of Carter’s home brings.