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Knowledge track
Wills and Estates Terms
Wills and Estates glossary terms connected to legal problems, guides, resources, lawyers, law firms, and booking paths.
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Beneficiary
A person or entity entitled to benefit under a will, trust, estate, policy, nomination, or other legal arrangement.
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Codicil
A document that amends, adds to, or confirms part of an existing will while leaving the rest of the will in place.
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Curator
A person appointed to manage or protect another person's property, affairs, or interests where the law or a court process requires it.
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Deceased estate
The assets, liabilities, documents, and administration process that must be dealt with after a person dies.
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Estate duty
A tax that can be levied on a deceased estate where the estate is dutiable under South African estate duty rules.
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Executor
A person or institution appointed by the Master to administer a deceased estate and deal with estate assets, debts, and distribution.
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Guardians Fund
A fund administered by the Master that can receive and administer money for minors, missing persons, unborn heirs, and other protected beneficiaries in recognised situations.
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Heir
A person who inherits or may inherit from a deceased estate, whether through a valid will or the rules of intestate succession.
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Intestate succession
The default inheritance rules that apply when a person dies without a valid will, or where a valid will does not deal with all estate property.
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Invalid will
A will that cannot be accepted or fully relied on because a legal requirement, capacity issue, revocation issue, or other defect affects its validity.
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Letter of authority
A document issued by the Master that authorises a person to administer a qualifying estate where full letters of executorship are not required.
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Letter of executorship
The Master's document appointing and authorising an executor to administer a deceased estate.
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Liquidation and distribution account
The estate account prepared by or for the executor, setting out estate assets, liabilities, administration costs, and how the estate will be distributed.
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Report an estate
The process of notifying the Master about a deceased estate and submitting the documents needed to open the estate file.
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Testate succession
Succession where a deceased person's estate is distributed according to a valid will.
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Testator
A person who makes a will.
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Will
A legal document in which a person sets out how their estate should be dealt with after death, subject to formal validity requirements.
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Checklist
Will Drafting Checklist
Checklist for assets, beneficiaries, guardianship, executors, and practical will-drafting decisions.
Wills and EstatesClient Document PackDeceased Estate Reporting Checklist
Document pack for death notice, will, assets, liabilities, family details, and estate reporting steps.
Wills and EstatesEvidence PackSurviving Spouse Maintenance Estate Pack
Surviving Spouse Maintenance Estate Pack: organise Marriage or civil-union proof, Death certificate, Will and a dated evidence index before your consultation.
Wills and EstatesLawyer Discovery ResourceEstate Lawyer Near Me Discovery Resource
Compare nearby estate lawyers by will, deceased-estate, executor, beneficiary, trust, asset, deadline, document, and fee-scope needs.
Legal ServicesLawyer Discovery ResourceWill Lawyer Near Me Discovery Resource
Compare nearby will lawyers by estate-planning issue, family structure, assets, signing requirements, original-document handling, fee scope, and urgency.
Legal ServicesChecklistWill Lawyer Near Me Cost Fee Guide
Prepare will-lawyer fee questions by organising family details, asset complexity, executor and guardian choices, existing wills, signing/storage needs, and quote scope.
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Wills and Estates
Wills, deceased estates, executors, letters of executorship, inheritance, trusts, and estate lawyer discovery.