Jackson On Course to Out-Earn Elvis

'Tasteful yet profitable' marketing of singer's death rakes in $1B

(NEWSER) - Estate of Elvis Presley, watch out: You may yet be eclipsed by Michael Jackson. Jackson died on the brink of financial collapse, but a year later his estate is booming. Last year he sold 8.3 million albums in the US—more than any other artist—and the posthumously released movie Michael Jackson's This Is It grossed $261 million worldwide. The estate has made an estimated $1 billion over the last year, but observers disagree on whether Jackson's on track to surpass Presley as the ultimate entertainment estate. More»

Michael Jackson, predictably, made the list—but not at No. 1

(NEWSER) - The stars on Forbes ' annual list of the top-earning dead celebrities number, appropriately, 13. To make the list, a "deleb" must have brought in at least $6 million in the past year. This year's list is notably missing former mainstays Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, and Steve McQueen, and puts a fashion designer in the top spot:

1. Yves Saint Laurent: $350 million
2. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein: $235 million combined
3. Michael Jackson: $90 million
4. Elvis Presley: $55 million
5. JRR Tolkien: $50 million

He knew what he was doing—and we should follow his example

(NEWSER) - Michael Jackson wasn't known for his financial prudence, but he got one thing right: his estate planning, writes Jane Bennett Clark for Kiplinger. Here’s how to follow his good example:

• Write a will: Two-thirds of Americans don’t. Jackson’s is concrete: His kids get 40% of his estate, his mother gets 40%, and 20% goes to charity.

But his ghost lives on

(NEWSER) - Add Lou Ferrigno to the list of people who believe stress killed Michael Jackson. The Incredible Hulk star—and Jackson’s friend and trainer for his 50-show tour—tells the Mirror, “He was under tremendous stress, so much I think it killed him. He was $400 million in debt. In the past, he had backed out of doing live shows but this time he was under the gun.” More on Jackson: More»

Family expected to file it in court today; assets going into trust

(NEWSER) - Michael Jackson's will calls for his mother to take custody of his three children, People reports. The family is currently reviewing the document—its very existence had been in doubt even a day ago—and is expected to file it in court today, adds TMZ. It includes no numbers, but Jackson's assets will reportedly go to the family trust. More»