Don’t accidentally disqualify your chosen heirs from inheriting!
“Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate.” (Ambrose Bierce) Your will (“Last Will and Testament”) will always be the keystone of your estate planning, and a recent High Court decision sounds yet another warning to beware the “do your own will” concept. By not having his will drawn by a […]
Why life partners still need cohabitation agreements and wills
Some 32 million South Africans co-habit outside marriage (that’s actually from a 2016 census – the number is probably higher now). With the concept of “common law marriage” being a total fiction – albeit a persistent one – life partners need to understand the risks they run in not putting into place both valid wills […]
Don’t let delays in the Master’s Office leave your family in financial distress
When you die your grieving loved ones could face cash flow problems unless you proactively take steps now to ensure that they will have access to enough ready funds for them to live comfortably whilst your estate is being wound up. Critically, all your bank accounts and other assets will be frozen and inaccessible to […]
April Quiz!
Quiz Question: Who was the biggest beneficiary of Marilyn Monroe’s estate ? Was it May Reis – personal secretary Gladys Baker – her mother Bernice Miracle- her half-sister, or Anna Strasberg – her acting coach’s second wife whom she met once. Answer: Anna Strasberg. (Read the story below) (The story) A Summary of Marilyn Monroe’s […]
Your Will: What you can and can’t do
“Where there’s a will, I want to be in it” (Anon) Your will (“Last Will and Testament”) is quite possibly the most important document you will ever sign. Without a properly-executed will you put your loved ones at risk of financial and emotional hardship, you forfeit your right to nominate who administers your deceased estate, […]
Your Last Will: The dire consequences of neglecting formalities
“It is not intended for the Court to make a will for the deceased based on what his intentions may have been” (Quoted in the judgment below) As a general rule our law holds us to our agreements and statements, whether we express them verbally, electronically or in written form. But there are exceptions – […]