5 Things Every South African Should Tell Their Executor Before They Need To

You've named an executor in your will. Good — but naming them is only half the job. The other half is making sure they actually know enough to act quickly when the time comes, instead of piecing your affairs together from scratch while grieving.

1. Where the Original, Signed Will Actually Is

A will your executor can't find is functionally the same as no will. Don't just tell them it exists — tell them exactly where the physical, signed original is kept (a fireproof safe, a safety deposit box, with an attorney) and make sure they can access it quickly. Digital storage of a scanned copy helps confirm content, but the original signed document is usually what's required for the Master's Office process.

2. What You Actually Own

Bank accounts, investment platforms, retirement funds, property, vehicles, and — increasingly important — crypto exchange accounts and self-custody wallets. Your executor cannot administer what they don't know exists. A Digital Vault, updated as your assets change, solves this far better than a mental list your executor has to reconstruct after you're gone.

3. Where Your Key Documents Are

ID document, marriage certificate (or divorce decree), property title deeds, vehicle registration papers, insurance policy documents. Every one of these gets requested at some point during estate administration, and hunting for them adds weeks to a process that's already slow.

4. Your Funeral Wishes and Policy Details

This is the most time-sensitive item on the list — a funeral typically needs to be arranged within days, long before Letters of Executorship are issued and long before the will is even formally read. Tell your executor (or whoever will be arranging things) which funeral policy to claim against and where the documents are, so cash is available immediately rather than coming out of a family member's own pocket.

5. Debts and Financial Obligations They Should Expect

Outstanding bonds, vehicle finance, personal loans, credit cards, or anyone you're contractually supporting. These become the estate's liabilities and need to be accounted for before anything is distributed — a surprise debt discovered late in the process can unwind decisions your executor already made.

Make This Easy on Yourself and Them

You don't need a long, awkward conversation to cover all five — urWill's free Executor Briefing Pack generates a document covering exactly this: your Digital Vault contents, key SA institutions to contact (Home Affairs, the Master's Office, SARS, banks, pension funds), and what to bring to each. It's one click, and it means your executor isn't starting from zero. Create your will and briefing pack online — free.