The Estate of Michael Jackson has made billions since the death of the King of Pop, but his daughter Paris Jackson says that one part of his financial legacy remains unfinished.
The 28-year-old wants to transfer $600 million into a trust for herself and her brothers, Prince and Bigi, setting up another high-profile conflict with the man in charge of their father’s fortune.
The controversy comes despite a judge recommending a financial transformation of the estate and a film celebrating Jackson’s life.
Paris Jackson Wants $600M Transferred Into Her Father’s Family Trust
In a petition on Oct. 29, Paris asked a Los Angeles court to order a pre-distribution to the Michael Jackson Family Trust, according to PEOPLE.
She claims the trust remains unfunded more than 17 years after Michael died in 2009, despite a 2011 indication from executors that they intended to seek distribution.
An estate accounting showed about $850 million in cash and equivalents at the end of 2024, her filing says. Paris argues that around $600 million could be transferred as long as it keeps enough to cover unpaid liabilities.
The money would not land in her personal account. Michael’s trust is reported to provide income for each child from the age of 21, followed by major distributions at 30, 35 and 40. Prince is 29, Paris 28, and Bigi 24.
None have reached the age of mainstream distribution. Instead Paris wants to fund the father’s trust so that his guidance can work as planned.
Michael Jackson’s estate denies claims it withheld family money
The estate claims there is a major obstacle in distributing the money: an unresolved lawsuit with the Internal Revenue Service.
In a statement to TMZrepresentatives explained that the IRS initially sought about $700 million in taxes and penalties. Although the estate received a decision that reduced that figure, the case is still unresolved.
The estate also called allegations that it withheld or reduced the payments of beneficiaries “a total fabrication,” claiming that more than $200 million has already been spent or distributed for their benefit.
Paris representatives dispute that explanation. They say that the partial trust transfer could have been done a long time ago and they accuse the executor John Branca of delaying the process.
The distinction is important: money spent on beneficiaries is not the same as money transferred to the family trust. The court will have to calculate the remaining debt and the request of Paris.
The billionaires and the Blockbuster movie at the Michael Jackson Estate add to the tension
The numbers are amazing. Michael died carrying hundreds of millions in debt, however Forbes estimates that his estate has generated over $3.5 billion since 2009.
Branca helped build the campaign through licensing and major sales, including a $750 million publishing deal in 2016 and a reported $600 million Sony music rights deal in 2024. He remains the sole executor following John McClain’s death in May 2026.
The musical “MJ: The Musical” and “Michael Jackson ONE” by Cirque du Soleil continue to expand the legacy of the singer.
Then came the movie “Michael”, with Jackson’s nephew and Paris’s cousin Jaafar Jackson. The biopic surpassed $1 billion worldwide in July, the first biopic to reach that milestone, according to The Wrap.
However, Paris publicly challenged its accuracy, calling parts of the story “sugar coated” and insisting that her early script feedback was ignored. The Los Angeles Times she described her criticism, while her brother Prince was an active producer and other relatives praised the production.
The film’s success has not resolved the family’s disagreement over his legacy.
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Paris Jackson won a $625K settlement despite the judge’s recommendation for executors
Paris has already won a tough victory in her fight over estate spending.
In an April 29 decision released in May, retired judge Mitchell Beckloff ordered the return of $625,000 in bonuses paid to outside estate attorneys after finding that the payments were not reasonable enough.
As Rolling Stone report, Beckloff needed a closer look at future bonuses.
The decision was not a serious criticism of Branca’s management. The judge also commended the executors for turning an estate that was once close to bankruptcy into a financial powerhouse for the family.
Now the arguments have moved to even bigger figures.
Paris is challenging about $109 million in combined compensation sought for Branca, the late McClain and his related legal services, and is seeking a management fee rate reduced from 15% to 10%, according to Rolling Stone.
The estate rejects her claims and says the executors receive a court-approved administration fee rather than the usual executor’s compensation.
New Spending Complaints Complicating $600M Trust Show
In separate filings, Paris has also questioned private jet expenses, about $604,850 in allegedly unexplained expenses, and missing financial details for 18 holding companies, TMZ reported.
Her previous legal team sought about $1.16 million in costs following the bonus decision. Branca argued that some accounts were related to unrelated transactions.
Even a compromise suggested by Bigi’s lawyer fell through. The estate claims that Paris rejected compromise accounting protections; Its representatives object that proposed exceptions would be weakened.
A Dec. 4 hearing will deal with her request to transfer $600 million, or another amount the judge deems appropriate, into the trust.
For Paris, the fight is about carrying out her father’s instructions. For the estate, it’s about protecting a complex fortune while tax and legal disputes continue. The question that has not yet been answered is whether the court sees a place for both.