Alpha Consumer

Britney Spears: Fighting her Dad's Control?

By Kimberly Palmer

Posted: March 31, 2009

According to a recently posted voicemail that Britney Spears allegedly left in January, she is worried that her father, who currently controls her estate under a conservatorship, will try to take her children away from her. (Spears may have since resolved matters since her father, who has been on tour with her, according to TMZ, which posted the voicemail message.)

In the message, Spears says, "I just wanted to make sure that during the process of eliminating the conservatorship that my father has threatened me several times, that you know, he'll take my children away. I just want to be guaranteed that everything will be fine with the process and that you guys are taking care of everything [and] that things will stay the same as far as my custodial time."

What is it about a conservatorship that could inspire such fear in the heart of one of the world's biggest celebrities? Conservatorship essentially gives an individual or other entity (in this case, Spears' father) the power to control the finances of a person who is no longer capable of managing them herself. It's often used for aging individuals who easily fall victim to scams or tempting credit card offers. It typically ends only when the individual being protected dies or the court determines she is once again capable of managing her own affairs.

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Alpha Consumer

Alpha Consumer

Kimberly Palmer, senior editor for U.S. News & World Report, writes about how to save money, avoid scams, manage debt, and be a savvy shopper. Send your personal finance questions to her for expert money advice.


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