Wills and Estate Planning Archives

Beyond Your Will: Leaving a Legacy

Wills and Estate PlanningBy LawDotNews March 26, 2026

Your will must always lie at the heart of your estate planning. But don’t concentrate solely on the financial wellbeing of your family after you are gone. The personal legacy you leave them is also important. It focuses on your family’s values, history and heritage, supporting your heirs in living their lives to the fullest while preserving and enjoying the material wealth they inherit from you. But how do you create a personal legacy that will last for generations, and how does this fit into your overall estate planning? We share some practical suggestions on how to get started…

Electronic Wills Aren’t Valid: Stick to Pen and Paper

Wills and Estate PlanningBy LawDotNews January 6, 2026

“Let’s choose executors and talk of wills.” (William Shakespeare in Richard II) You may have read one of the many online articles about an electronic will being validated recently by the High Court. Don’t be misled into thinking that electronic wills are now valid as a matter of course – they most certainly are not.…

Excuses, Excuses: Why People Don’t Make Wills, And Why You Must

Wills and Estate PlanningBy LawDotNews August 26, 2025

“All that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity.” (William Shakespeare, in Hamlet) Master’s Office records suggest that less than a third of us leave behind a will when we die. That’s astonishing, given the fact that death is one of the few absolute certainties in our lives. Why do so many of us…

How to Avoid Fighting Over the House – A Guide for Life Partners

Family Law, Property, Wills and Estate PlanningBy LawDotNews May 27, 2025

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of bandages and adhesive tape.” (Groucho Marx) It’s a perennial topic of dispute in our courts. A couple lives together, sharing the same roof and everything else in perfect happiness and harmony. Until it all goes south. Then the gloves come off and, particularly if our erstwhile…

Do You Need a Second Will for Your Overseas Assets?

Wills and Estate PlanningBy LawDotNews January 28, 2025

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” (Pablo Picasso) If you own assets outside South Africa, you may have wondered: Is my local will enough? This is a question many South Africans are asking, and the answer will depend on your own unique situation. Let’s break it down.…

Estate Planning: Why it Matters, and How To Get Started

Wills and Estate PlanningBy LawDotNews November 26, 2024

“When the hurly-burly’s done, when the battle’s lost and won.” (One of the witches in Shakespeare’s Macbeth) Another year draws to a close! If you’re taking a break, now’s a great time to get started on an estate plan – or to update your existing one. Estate planning is one of the most important steps…

How Can You Protect Your Heirs’ Inheritances from Their Creditors?

Wills and Estate PlanningBy LawDotNews September 25, 2024

“The only person who sticks closer to you in adversity than a friend is a creditor.” (Unknown) You’ve done everything you can to leave your loved ones financially secure after you die. You’ve left enough assets to set them up in their own lives, made a valid will (“Last Will and Testament”), and chosen a…

Sibling Showdown: How One Missing Word in a Will Divided a Family

Wills and Estate PlanningBy LawDotNews August 27, 2024

“From small mistakes come great catastrophes.” (Justin Cronin) We’ve all seen how even the smallest mistake can have huge consequences down the line. A recent High Court spat between siblings over a poorly-drafted will confirms once again that when it comes to important documents (and it doesn’t get more important than your will!), every word counts.…

In the Land of the Will, Clarity is King

Wills and Estate PlanningBy LawDotNews April 25, 2024

“The golden rule for the interpretation of testaments is to ascertain the wishes of the testator from the language used. And when these wishes are ascertained, the court is bound to give effect to them, unless we are prevented by some rule or law from doing so.” (Quoted in the judgment below) When drawing up…

A Valentine’s Day Thought for Life Partners: What is a “Universal Partnership”?

Family Law, Wills and Estate PlanningBy LawDotNews January 29, 2024

“Marriage is the chief cause of divorce” (Groucho Marx) This Valentine’s Day, think about the legal aspects of your romantic relationship. They’re a lot less exciting than the traditional declarations of love backed up by chocolates and flowers, but they’re just as important in ensuring a strong, committed life partnership in which both of you…

Category Archives: Wills and Estate Planning