Paris Jackson has petitioned a Los Angeles probate court to order a $600 million preliminary distribution from her late father Michael Jackson's estate into a family trust intended for her and her two brothers, Prince and Bigi. Filed on October 29, 2026, in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the legal request argues that the Michael Jackson Family Trust remains unfunded more than 17 years after the pop icon's June 2009 death, leaving the three siblings financially dependent on the discretion of the estate's remaining executor, John Branca.

The petition marks a major escalation in an ongoing conflict over the management, transparency, and control of one of the music industry's most lucrative posthumous empires. While Paris Jackson contends that the estate holds ample liquid reserves to begin funding the trust immediately, representatives for the estate maintain that ongoing litigation with the Internal Revenue Service and specific age thresholds outlined in the singer's will prevent a full transfer of the assets at this time.

Inside the $600 Million Trust Petition

According to court documents reviewed by TheWrap, Paris Jackson asserts that her father intended for his three children to begin receiving direct income from the family trust upon their respective 21st birthdays. With Prince currently age 29, Paris age 28, and Bigi age 24, those initial age milestones passed years ago without the trust being formally funded.

The filing also outlines the next phase of the late artist's estate plan, which reportedly calls for staged outright principal distributions to the siblings at ages 30, 35, and 40, according to CBC. In her petition, Paris notes that the first of these major principal milestones is just months away: Prince turns 30 in four months, while Paris turns 29 in April and Bigi turns 25 in February.

Rather than receiving structured payments through an independent trust, the siblings currently receive what the petition describes as lesser amounts dictated by Branca. In the filing, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, Paris alleges that the executor maintains an "iron grip" over when and if funds are distributed, claiming he uses that authority to deter the beneficiaries from challenging his management decisions. The petition also points out that the executors informed the court back in 2011 that they intended to file a separate petition for a preliminary distribution, a step her legal team says has left the beneficiaries waiting for 15 years.

The Estate's Financial Turnaround and Liquidity

At the center of Paris Jackson's argument is the dramatic financial recovery of her father's business holdings over the past decade and a half. When Michael Jackson died at age 50 on June 25, 2009, his estate was burdened by roughly $500 million in debt. Since then, executors John Branca and John McClain—who served together until McClain's death in May 2026—restructured those liabilities and executed a series of high-value commercial deals.

According to the petition, the estate's liquidity has been bolstered by major asset sales and licensing agreements, including the 2020 sale of Neverland Ranch, the divestment of the estate's interest in EMI Music Publishing, and a $750 million catalog and intellectual property agreement with Sony. Executors have previously estimated the overall value of the estate at between $2 billion and $3 billion.

Citing financial figures from December 2024, Paris Jackson's legal team states in the filing that the estate held approximately $850 million in cash and cash equivalents, according to Billboard. Her attorneys estimate that even after accounting for potential debts and liabilities, the estate currently holds approximately $600 million in distributable cash—not including additional cash held at the corporate entity level. Any remaining concerns over future liabilities, the petition argues, could be managed through standard refunding agreements between the trustee and the beneficiaries.

Executors Cite IRS Litigation and Will Terms

Representatives for the Michael Jackson Estate strongly pushed back against the petition, characterizing the allegations that the executor has withheld or reduced payments to the siblings as a "complete fabrication." According to statements provided to Billboard and the Los Angeles Times, the estate noted that more than $200 million has already been distributed to help support Michael Jackson's children over the years.

The estate's primary legal defense rests on unresolved tax hurdles. A spokesperson for the estate stated that Paris Jackson's legal team is well aware that the trusts cannot be funded until long-running litigation with the Internal Revenue Service over the estate's tax bill is fully resolved. According to CBC, the IRS previously sought $700 million in taxes and penalties from the estate, leaving a major financial contingency hanging over the probate proceedings.

Additionally, the estate disputed the petition's interpretation of the distribution timeline, stating that the terms of Michael Jackson's will stipulate that none of his children receive an outright distribution until they reach their 30s, adding that the estate looks forward to fully funding the trusts once all pending legal issues are settled.

In a rebuttal statement reported by CBC, a spokesperson for Paris Jackson accused the estate of deflecting from its own delays, arguing that Branca had both the ability and the obligation to partially fund the trust years ago.

Broader Dispute Over Estate Management

The $600 million funding request is part of a wider legal conflict between the 28-year-old singer-actor and Branca. Just one day before filing the trust petition, attorneys for Paris Jackson filed a motion criticizing Branca's executive compensation and accusing him of missing a court-ordered deadline to submit complete financial accountings for 2023 and 2024.

The estate countered that the required accountings have been filed—though Paris's attorneys argue the documents are deficient—and explained that Branca and the late McClain had waived standard executor compensation in favor of a separate, court-ordered management fee for operating the late artist's commercial enterprises.

Tensions between the two sides have been building since at least November 2025, when Paris challenged the estate's management practices and claimed that major commercial ventures, including the hit Michael biopic, were structured to enrich the executor. Her latest petition also alleges that her prior legal challenges were met with aggressive litigation and a multimillion-dollar reduction in distributions to her and her brothers.

What Happens Next in Probate Court

Because Paris Jackson's filing is a formal petition rather than a court order, the decision now rests with a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge. A hearing to review both the $600 million trust-funding request and the separate challenge to the executor's management fee is scheduled for December 4, 2026.

Why is the Michael Jackson Family Trust still unfunded after 17 years?

The estate's executors state that the trust cannot be formally funded until major legal hurdles—specifically a years-long court battle with the IRS that involved $700 million in sought taxes and penalties—are completely resolved. Paris Jackson, however, argues in her court petition that the estate has enough excess cash to make a partial transfer now while reserving funds for potential liabilities.

How much money is in Michael Jackson's estate?

According to Paris Jackson's legal filing, the executors have previously valued the overall estate at between $2 billion and $3 billion. Her petition claims the estate held roughly $850 million in cash as of December 2024, leaving approximately $600 million in distributable cash after factoring in potential debts.

When will the court rule on the $600 million request?

A Los Angeles probate judge is scheduled to hear arguments regarding Paris Jackson's trust-funding petition and her challenge to the executor's management compensation on December 4, 2026.

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