Articles

A Will: What's the Noise About?

Our lives are mostly made up of to-do lists. But very often, making or keeping a will is not an item on one of those lists.

For a 24-year-old, for example, who still has their whole life ahead of them, making a will may feel completely unnecessary. But life happens... And when it does, the 24-year-old may leave behind assets that need to be distributed, such as a car or a valuable piece of jewelry received as a 21st birthday present.

A single 50-year-old with no children, on the other hand, might think that since there is no one to leave assets to, why bother? For example, they can bequeath their assets to a sibling or, if they have no family, consider bequeathing their assets to CANSA or a charity of their choice.

Is a will really worth the fuss? The answer is a definite yes!

It secures your legacy… and more.

Without a will, your assets are divided according to the rules of intestate succession, which means that your estate will be divided according to a set formula from the state.

A will not only serves as a legal document for asset distribution – it is also a useful planning tool for securing your legacy. Also consider the following if you do not have a valid will in place:

Your partner can be left with nothing if you are not married, or your will during a previous marriage is not up to date.
Your children's inheritance may go to the state's guardianship fund or the appointed guardian who may squander it.
Family members can argue over your assets if your final wishes are not clearly documented in a will.
You lose the opportunity to choose who should be the guardian of your minor children.

We at Eksekuteurs vir Boedels en Testamente work hard to make it easy to draft your will. All this in your language, Afrikaans.