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Plain-language guides on South African wills, estate duty, digital assets, and executor appointments — written so you can act, not just read.
What Happens When You Die Without a Will in South Africa?
If you die intestate in South Africa, the Intestate Succession Act decides who gets your assets — not you. Here's exactly what happens and how to avoid it.
ReadHow Much Will SARS Take From Your Estate When You Die? Estate Duty Explained
South Africa's estate duty tax applies to estates above R3.5 million. Learn the current rates, abatements, and legal strategies to minimise what SARS takes from your estate.
ReadYour Crypto Could Vanish Forever When You Die — Here's How to Protect It
Crypto, NFTs, online accounts — what happens to your digital assets when you die? Here's how to protect them in your South African will.
ReadWho Will Sort Out Your Estate When You're Gone? Choosing Your Executor
Your executor winds up your entire estate. Here's what they do, who qualifies, and the most important clause to include in your South African will.
ReadAre Online Wills Legal in South Africa? Everything You Need to Know
Can you make a legally valid will online in South Africa? The short answer is yes — here's what the law says and what to look for in an online will platform.
ReadThe Hidden R40,000 Bill Your Family Could Face Before They Inherit a Cent
When no executor is named in a will — or a professional is appointed by the Master — a security bond is required. Here's what that means for your estate and how a single clause in your will eliminates it.
ReadThe Signing Mistake That Can Silently Cut Your Spouse Out of Your Will
One of the most common will mistakes in South Africa: asking a family member or friend who inherits from you to also witness your will. Here's what the Wills Act says and what happens if you get it wrong.
ReadWhy Your Bank Freezes Your Accounts When You Die (And What Your Family Can Do)
The moment a South African bank learns of a death, every account in that person's name is frozen — even joint accounts in some cases. Here's why, how long it lasts, and how to prepare your family for it.
ReadCan My Girlfriend or Boyfriend Inherit If We Aren't Married in South Africa?
South Africa does not recognise common-law marriage. If you die without a will, your long-term partner can legally inherit nothing — regardless of how many years you've been together. Here's the law, and the fix.
ReadWe Own a House Together — What Happens If One of Us Dies?
Unlike some countries, South Africa has no automatic 'right of survivorship' for co-owned property. Here's what actually happens to a jointly owned home when one owner dies — and why it's not what most people assume.
ReadCan I Leave My Pension to Whoever I Want? The Answer May Surprise You
Most people assume their retirement fund pays out exactly as they've nominated. In South Africa, it doesn't work that way — the fund's trustees have the final say, not your will and not even your nomination form.
ReadThe Biggest Estate Planning Mistake Parents Make (It's Not Skipping the Will)
Most parents eventually get around to writing a will. Far fewer get the guardian clause and the inheritance structure for their kids right — and that's the part that actually goes wrong.
ReadWhat Happens to My Car After I Die?
Your vehicle doesn't just pass to whoever has the keys. Here's what actually happens to a car — financed or paid off — when the owner dies in South Africa.
ReadCan Someone Challenge My Will in South Africa?
Wills can be contested — but not for any reason a disappointed relative feels like raising. Here's what actually holds up in a challenge, and how to make your will harder to contest.
ReadHow Often Should You Update Your Will?
Not annually — by life event. Here's exactly when a South African will needs revisiting, and which events legally change your will whether you update it or not.
Read5 Things Every South African Should Tell Their Executor Before They Need To
Naming an executor isn't enough on its own. Here are the five things they need to know now, while you're around to tell them — not after.
ReadThe Estate Planning Checklist Every Couple Should Complete Before Having Children
Having a baby changes your legal priorities overnight. Here's exactly what to have in place before — not after — your child arrives.
ReadWhy Are Some Wills Free? Understanding the Business Model Behind It
'Free will' offers in South Africa usually make money somewhere — just not always where you'd expect. Here's how to spot the difference between genuinely free and free-with-a-catch.
ReadQuestions to Ask Before Accepting a 'Free' Will
A quick checklist to vet any free will service in South Africa before you hand over your personal and financial details.
ReadWhat Does Estate Administration Actually Cost in South Africa?
A full, itemised breakdown of the real costs your estate faces during administration — executor's fees, Master's Office costs, advertising, and more — with a worked example.
ReadCan I Change My Executor Later?
Yes — at any point while you're alive, by updating your will. Here's exactly how that works, and the one moment after which it's no longer possible.
ReadWhat Happens If I Don't Want a Bank as My Executor?
Many South Africans end up with a bank or trust company as executor without ever deciding that's what they wanted. Here's how that happens, what it costs, and how to change it.
ReadUnderstanding Executor Fees Before You Sign Anything
The executor's fee is charged on your estate's gross value — not what's left after debts — and most South Africans don't realise that until it's too late to change.
ReadReady to protect your family?
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