Protecting Creative IP in Family Succession: Lessons from Musicians’ Catalogs

When a catalog is your family’s paycheck: protect it before it’s too late

Musicians and songwriters face unique estate risks: intangible assets that keep paying long after you're gone, co‑owned works with informal split agreements, and contracts that may already assign away ownership. If you’re a parent, partner, or member of a duo or band, the anxiety isn’t theoretical — it’s about feeding the people you love and preserving artistic legacy.

“The world is changing…I think you can hear it.” — Memphis Kee, on life, music, and family (Rolling Stone, Jan 2026)

High‑profile news from 2025–2026 — Memphis Kee’s fatherhood‑tinged new album, Nat & Alex Wolff’s joint releases as brothers, and Hans Zimmer’s move onto massive franchise scoring — highlights three common succession themes: personal legacy, co‑ownership dynamics, and commercial catalogs that generate predictable licensing income. This article translates those headlines into concrete estate planning steps musicians and their families can use to preserve catalogs, protect royalties, and reduce the risk of probate fights.

The 2026 context: why now?

As of 2026 the market is reset around a few critical trends impacting catalog succession:

• Catalog valuations remain strong. Private and institutional buyers continue to pay premiums for steady streaming and sync income, encouraging artists to treat catalogs as financial assets that require professional management.
• AI and sample litigation pressure. Courts and platforms are clarifying how AI uses of music affect rights and licensing — increasing the need for clear ownership records and licensing policies.
• New licensing channels and direct‑to‑fan revenue. NFTs, blockchain licensing pilots, and direct‑to‑fan revenue add complexity to payment flows and beneficiary reporting.
• Estate and tax planning scrutiny. With federal estate and gift tax policy in flux and state‑by‑state differences (including high‑tax states), musicians are using trusts and tax‑efficient transfers to minimize future liability.

These trends make it essential to move beyond a simple will. You need a plan that addresses co‑authorship, licensing regimes, rights reversions, and operational continuity.

Three cautionary headlines and the lessons they teach

1. Memphis Kee: the artist as family man — plan for income continuity

Memphis Kee’s recent album and remarks about fatherhood (Rolling Stone, Jan 2026) remind us that creators often balance art and family responsibility. For musicians with dependents, the top priority is ensuring continuous cash flow and easy access to income after incapacity or death.

Practical lessons:

• Revocable living trust as operations hub: Put publishing income streams, royalty contracts, and manager/label instructions into a revocable trust with a successor trustee who understands the music business to avoid probate delays.
• Short‑term liquidity planning: Maintain a liquid emergency fund (6–12 months of household expenses) in a trust or joint account to cover family needs while longer settlements or licensing negotiations continue.
• Durable power of attorney for business affairs: Grant a trusted industry‑savvy agent authority to collect royalties, approve sync deals, and consult with PROs (ASCAP/BMI/SESAC) and SoundExchange.

2. Nat & Alex Wolff: co‑authorship and sibling partnerships

Duos and bands — like Nat & Alex Wolff — operate with creative partnerships that often lack formal ownership documentation. When siblings co‑write and tour together, plain‑language agreements are essential to avoid disputes after a death or incapacitation.

Practical lessons:

• Written co‑author agreements and split sheets: Record exact ownership percentages (publishing and master shares), sign dated split sheets for every session, and upload them to a secure cloud folder.
• Successor beneficiary clauses in band agreements: Decide whether a departing member’s share vests to their estate or can be bought out by the remaining members, and describe valuation methodology.
• Joint trust options: Sibling members can create mirrored trusts or cross‑purchase buy‑sell arrangements that trigger on death to avoid forced sales or outside heirs becoming band partners.

3. Hans Zimmer: large commercial catalogs and work‑for‑hire risks

Hans Zimmer’s high‑profile engagements in 2025–2026 illustrate how film and TV scoring can produce valuable, long‑lived catalogs. But much scoring work is treated as work‑for‑hire, which typically vests ownership in studios — a critical distinction for succession planning.

Practical lessons:

• Audit contracts now: Determine which works you own outright, which are assigned, and which were created as work‑for‑hire. For assigned works, negotiate reversion clauses and residuals that survive death.
• Keep originals and chain‑of‑title docs: Maintain copies of composer agreements, cue sheets, and publishing assignments so heirs and trustees can collect royalties and pursue unpaid sync fees.
• Negotiate moral‑rights and credit guarantees: For legacy value, insist on name/credit clauses and consider contractual protections that limit third‑party abuse of your name or music.

Estate planning fundamentals for musicians (wills, trusts, beneficiaries)

Below is a practical, prioritized roadmap that applies whether you’re an indie songwriter, a touring band leader, or a high‑value composer.

Step 1 — Inventory and register your IP

1. Create a detailed catalog inventory: List compositions, master recordings, co‑authors, ISWC/ISRC codes, registration dates, and current publishing splits.
2. Register copyrights: Register all works with the U.S. Copyright Office (copyright.gov) — registration is necessary to pursue statutory damages and to provide a clear title for heirs.
3. Register with PROs and collection societies: Ensure you and your splits are registered with ASCAP/BMI/SESAC and SoundExchange to keep performance and digital master royalties flowing. Add/update beneficiary and contact information.

Step 2 — Design your ownership and control structure

Core options and when to use them:

• Revocable Living Trust (RLT) — primary tool for managing assets during life and avoiding probate. Use an RLT to centralize publishing agreements, royalty accounts, and licensing authority.
• Irrevocable Royalties Trust — for tax efficiency and creditor protection. Irrevocable trusts (including dynasty trusts where state law permits) can lock in valuation and pass income to beneficiaries with fewer estate tax consequences.
• Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs) and SLATs — advanced tax strategies for transferring appreciating assets. Consult a tax attorney to determine suitability for catalogs expected to appreciate.
• Buy‑Sell and Band Agreements — for groups: require mechanisms for valuation and transfer after death, disability, or departure.

Step 3 — Beneficiary designations and payable‑on‑death accounts

Many royalty streams are fungible in practice — bank accounts, brokerage accounts from catalog sales, and some PRO payments are reportable to heirs. Make sure beneficiary designations are aligned across documents:

• Update beneficiary forms for royalty accounts where possible; not all PROs allow direct beneficiary designations, so include collection instructions in your trust.
• Use payable‑on‑death (POD) or transfer‑on‑death (TOD) designations for bank and brokerage accounts holding payments or catalog sale proceeds.
• Where automatic beneficiary designation isn’t allowed (e.g., certain PRO distributions), authorize your trustee to receive payments and forward them to beneficiaries.

Step 4 — Draft clear successor trustee and agent powers

Choose successors who understand the music business. Your trustee should have specific powers to:

• Collect and audit royalties, demand unpaid distributions, and access streaming/reporting dashboards.
• Negotiate or reject sync, reissue, or sample licenses in line with your documented wishes.
• Maintain metadata, ISRC/ISWC records, and submit renewal/registration documents.

Licensing, work‑for‑hire, and practical contract clauses

Many succession failures happen because the contracts themselves block heirs from collecting or re‑licensing works. Negotiate and document the following clauses when possible.

1. Reversion and termination rights

Include explicit reversion provisions or termination triggers (e.g., if a license lapses, rights revert to author/estate). For agreements that assign rights, build a timeline or performance conditions that allow reversion.

2. Surviving royalties and credit guarantees

Contract language should confirm that royalty streams survive death and that credits (billing) cannot be removed or diminished by successors.

3. Transfer and assignment approvals

Limit the ability of a licensee to assign long‑term rights without trustee consent, and include valuation formulas for any buy‑outs that affect heirs.

4. Work‑for‑hire carveouts

If you take scoring work or commission pieces, insist on negotiated carveouts that permit the composer to retain publishing or to receive enhanced backend participation (e.g., producer points, mechanical residuals) that benefits your estate.

Practical checklist: 10 immediate actions for musicians (start today)

1. Create a catalog inventory and store copies of all contracts and registrations in a secure cloud drive accessible to your executor/trustee.
2. Register unregistered works with the U.S. Copyright Office.
3. Update registrations and splits with PROs and SoundExchange; confirm payee and contact info.
4. Establish a revocable living trust and fund it with publishing and master royalty accounts where possible.
5. Designate a successor trustee and a music‑savvy power of attorney.
6. Draft or update band/co‑author agreements with clear buy‑sell and successor clauses.
7. Audit all contracts for work‑for‑hire language and seek reversion language or enhanced residuals where feasible.
8. Set POD/TOD designations for bank/brokerage accounts holding royalty proceeds.
9. Document business continuity instructions: manager contacts, label contact details, master file locations, and streaming dashboard access instructions.
10. Schedule annual reviews with an IP‑savvy estate attorney and CPA — and update documents after major life events or catalog transactions.

What to tell your heirs — a short script

When you talk with family, keep it simple and practical. Here’s a script you can adapt:

I own songs and recordings that keep paying royalties. I’ve put them in a trust and chosen a successor trustee who knows music business basics. If anything happens to me, call [manager’s name] and [attorney’s name]. The passwords and registration folder are in the secure drive titled "Music Estate". Do not sign any contracts without talking to the attorney.

Tax and legal resources (where to look in 2026)

Accurate, up‑to‑date information matters. Two authoritative references to bookmark:

• U.S. Copyright Office: guidance on registration, ownership, and transfers — https://www.copyright.gov/
• IRS — Estate and Gift Taxes: current rules, thresholds, and filing requirements — https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estate-and-gift-taxes

Also consult your PROs for best practices on registration and beneficiary updates (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) and SoundExchange for digital performance royalties.

Case study closeups: applying the lessons

Case A — Independent songwriter with new child (like Memphis Kee)

Scenario: New album, touring income, dependent spouse and child. Goal: immediate income continuity and clear trustee authority.

1. Create RLT and fund it with publishing income accounts.
2. Name spouse as primary beneficiary, set a contingency guardian/trust for the child.
3. Grant manager limited durable POA to continue licensing through transition.
4. Keep a 6–12 month liquidity cushion in the trust for household expenses.

Case B — Sibling duo (like Nat & Alex Wolff)

Scenario: Joint catalog with co‑authorship and touring business. Goal: avoid an estranged heir owning part of the act.

1. Execute a band agreement with buy‑sell terms funded by life insurance to facilitate transfers on death.
2. Maintain updated split sheets and register co‑authors on PROs.
3. Set up mirrored trusts to receive each sibling’s share and include clauses allowing the surviving duo to license the act’s name and catalog under defined terms.

Case C — High‑value composer with studio agreements (like Hans Zimmer)

Scenario: Multiple scoring assignments, some work‑for‑hire. Goal: maximize estate value while protecting rights that may be owned by studios.

1. Audit contracts for works owned by the composer vs. assigned to studios.
2. Seek reversion terms on older assignments and negotiate backend participation for future work.
3. Use irrevocable trust vehicles for transferable publishing shares that are expected to appreciate.
4. Document chain‑of‑title and cue sheets for future royalty collection and sync negotiation.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Pitfall: Leaving everything to a will only — leads to probate delays and public disclosure. Fix: Fund a revocable trust.
• Pitfall: Informal split agreements and missing registrations. Fix: Create signed split sheets and register works now.
• Pitfall: Successor not music‑savvy. Fix: Appoint a co‑trustee or advisor with industry experience and give specific trustee powers.
• Pitfall: Ignoring work‑for‑hire impact. Fix: Audit contracts, negotiate future reversion or residuals, and document exceptions.

Final checklist for your next meeting with advisors

1. Bring a catalog inventory, copies of all publishing/recording contracts, and current PRO registrations.
2. Prepare a list of intended beneficiaries and their current financial needs.
3. Identify a proposed successor trustee and an alternate, plus at least one industry‑savvy advisor.
4. Ask your attorney about irrevocable trust options, GRATs, or qualified personal residence trusts (if you own real estate) for tax planning.
5. Ask your CPA whether a current catalog sale or donation could be structured tax‑efficiently for estate planning purposes.

Parting advice — protect both the music and the people who depend on it

Memphis Kee’s reflection on family, the Wolff brothers’ joint creative life, and Hans Zimmer’s franchise work each show a different face of modern music careers. The common thread in 2026: music is both art and an estate asset. Without clear titles, contracts, and trustee guidance, catalogs can become contested property rather than reliable family income.

Actionable takeaway: Don’t wait for a crisis. Start by creating an inventory, registering works, and meeting with an IP‑savvy estate attorney and CPA. Use a revocable trust for operational continuity and consider irrevocable tools if you seek tax efficiency or creditor protection.

Ready to protect your catalog and your family?

We help musicians translate headlines into legally enforceable plans. Get our Music Catalog Succession Checklist and schedule a consultation with an estate attorney who understands publishing, masters, and modern licensing. Your music should keep working for your heirs — not create a legal headache.

Resources cited:

• Rolling Stone: Memphis Kee feature (Jan 16, 2026) — https://www.rollingstone.com/
• Rolling Stone: Nat & Alex Wolff coverage (Jan 16, 2026) — https://www.rollingstone.com/
• Polygon: Hans Zimmer scores news (2025–2026 coverage) — https://www.polygon.com/
• U.S. Copyright Office — https://www.copyright.gov/
• IRS — Estate and Gift Taxes — https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estate-and-gift-taxes

Call to action: Download the free Music Catalog Succession Checklist at successions.info/checklist and book a 20‑minute intake with an advisor to get a personalized plan that protects your art and your family.

Related Reading

• Automating safe backups and versioning (creator storage best practices)
• Mobile filmmaking for bands: low‑cost promo workflows
• Compact capture & live shopping kits for merch and pop‑ups
• Beyond CDN: cloud filing & edge registries for micro‑commerce
• Top underground labels to watch (insights on contracts and partnerships)
• Ambient Quote Displays: Using Smart Lamps and Speakers to Stage Micro-Poetry Installations
• On-Device vs Cloud Messaging for Wallets: Security, Latency and Cost Tradeoffs
• Event Management 101: Lessons From the Coachella Promoter’s New Santa Monica Festival
• Storage Strategies for Scale: Balancing Performance and Cost in Avatar Repositories
• When Cheap Imports Cost More: What Jewelers Should Learn from Low-Price E-Bikes