Attorneys at Law

South Africa

How will this page benefit me?

Have your Will drawn by a practising attorney. It is likely to be the best and the cheapest advice you took in your estate planning process. Not only will you receive professional advice you will receive legal advice.

About a Last Will and Testament

For the small amount in costs, have your Last Will and Testament drawn or at least checked by a practising attorney. Do not accept cheap or "no change" Wills from the various institutions who offer them.  Almost certainly they will give you the value for which you have paid.

Give us your details on our ONLine services page and we will let you have a quote.

Check list

It is a popular belief that the law can only be expressed in unintelligible jargon. That is not the case. If you cannot understand your Will, or you find some aspects vague, in all probability it has not been properly drawn. This is often the result of the efforts of an unskilled draftsman. Have it checked. You could be right, perhaps it is nonsense! If so should you leave it like that? Why take the risk so the sake of a "free" illegal Will!

•  Has the benefit of estate planning been explained to you.

• Have the immediate financial requirements of your nearest and dearest been taken care of, or will they have to wait a year or two for the estate to be finalised before they can drawn from the estate.

• Is there a clear line of inheritance that follows all reasonable scenarios, or does your Will make the assumption that certain dependants will survive you.

• Does your Will provide for your spouse in all reasonable circumstances or does it make the assumption that your spouse or your children will remain in perfect health and gainfully employed and will never need maintenance.

• Was the signature to your Will witnessed by two independent witnesses who are not beneficiaries and signed by you and both witnesses all in the presence of one another? If not your Will is invalid.
   

Important considerations

A Power of Attorney lapses when its principle dies.

Joint bank accounts will be closed on the death of one of the account holders.

Estate Planning

 This is a long term plan that involves the planning of your living and deceased estates with a view to limiting the amount of tax and Estate Duty that will be paid when you die.

Living Wills.

A "Living Will" is a term applied to a document that records what decision a person wishes to make regarding his or her own life, if they are unable to make those decisions themselves. Usually these desires are important if one is on a life support system.

 Most people would not like to have their estates dissipated while they are kept alive indefinitely on a life support system in a coma or a brain damaged state and unable to make any further decisions.

The document has no effect in law, but it gives your loved one some comfort when having to carry out the sad tasks of withdrawing life support.

The document can also be used to express other such as the donations of your organs.
These are not document that are prepared by financial instructions because there is no financial benefit for them. They will be drawn by an attorney if required. They are also freely available on the internet. It is still valuable to consult an attorney regarding all aspects of your estate planning.

Some little appreciated laws that apply to Estates:

Coming soon !!!