Jimmy Buffett’s Will Assigns Wife as Executor of His Estate

Jimmy Buffett‘s will has named his wife of 40 years, Jane S. Buffett, executor of his estate. As executor, Mrs. Buffett will manage her late husband’s intellectual property, according to a report, including the rights to his music, trust, and more.

Specific information regarding beneficiaries or assets, along with the holdings of the James W. Buffett 1990 Trust, were revealed from Buffett’s will, which was filed in September in Palm Beach County, Florida.

In addition to his music and trust, the will may also include a separate section, according to the report, which has also assigned his residential real estate to his wife, along with the distribution of some of Buffett’s other belongings, including furniture and clothing. His estate also includes a share in the conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, along with Buffett’s other properties including his yacht, planes, and several homes.

The core of Buffett’s estate includes his stake in his Margaritaville restaurant franchise, which included casinos, a hotel chain, cruises, and more.

[RELATED: Posthumous Jimmy Buffett Singles Include “University of Bourbon Street,” Cover of Bob Dylan’s “Mozambique”]

In 1985, Buffett opened a chain of Margaritaville-themed restaurants and stores in Key West, named after his 1977 hit. Throughout the years, Margaritaville expanded with restaurants across the U.S. and locations in several countries, including Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and more.

Buffett was worth $1 billion, according to a Forbes report in April 2023, and his 28 percent stake in Margaritaville Holdings was reportedly worth an estimated $180 million.

The will also reportedly appointed Buffett’s business partner, John L. Cohlan, chief executive of Margaritaville Holdings, to also step in if needed.

[RELATED: Jimmy Buffett’s Sister Shares His Final Words]

Buffett died on September 1, 2023, after a four-year battle with Merkel Cell Skin Cancer. Nearly two months following his death, two new songs from Buffett’s forthcoming posthumous album, Equal Strain on All Parts, out November 3, have been released, including the more autobiographical “University of Bourbon Street” and his cover of Bob Dylan‘s 1976 song “Mozambique.”

Co-written with Will Kimbrough and featuring the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, “University of Bourbon Street,” takes Buffett back to the early education he received from the music and culture of New Orleans.

On “Mozambique,” originally released by Dylan on his 1976 album Desire, Buffett revisits the song with Dylan’s singing partner on the original track, Emmylou Harris.

Photo: Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic