What wills and estates cover
Wills and estates work covers will drafting, deceased estate reporting, executor authority, inheritance, estate accounts, trusts, and estate disputes.
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Wills and Estates
Understand wills, deceased estates, executor duties, inheritance, trusts, estate reporting, and find estate lawyers.
South African lawJurisdiction-specific legal context.Problem-led pathsStart with common legal issues.Location-awareFind relevant help near you.Book when readyCompare lawyers and book.
Problem pathways
Start with the estate need
Choose the issue first, then narrow by service and location.
Estate matter
I need a will
Understand will drafting, beneficiaries, testators, and preparation before speaking to a lawyer.
Estate matterReport a deceased estate
Start with deceased estate, reporting duties, documents, and Master of the High Court steps.
Estate matterExecutor help
Understand executor roles, letters of executorship, estate accounts, and administration support.
Estate matterNo valid will
Explore intestate succession, heirs, beneficiaries, and estate distribution questions.
Estate matterEstate documents
Understand letters of executorship, letters of authority, and documents usually needed.
Estate matterTrust issue
Connect estate planning with trusts, trustees, trust deeds, and trust administration paths.
Services
Common services
Will Drafting
Prepare or review a will, beneficiaries, executor appointment, and signing requirements.
View serviceDeceased Estates
Estate reporting, administration steps, documents, heirs, beneficiaries, and distribution.
View serviceExecutor Support
Executor duties, letters of executorship, estate accounts, and administration decisions.
View serviceLetters of Executorship
Master-issued authority for an executor to administer a deceased estate.
View serviceLetters of Authority
Master-issued authority often used in smaller estates and estate administration steps.
View serviceTrust Administration
Trustees, trust deeds, trust property, letters of authority, and beneficiary questions.
View serviceOverview
Wills and estates overview
Common estate matters
Common matters include preparing a will, reporting an estate, appointing an executor, obtaining letters of authority, handling inheritance questions, and dealing with trusts.
When legal help is useful
Legal help is useful where estate documents are unclear, there is no valid will, beneficiaries disagree, property must be transferred, or executor duties are complex.
Resources
Wills and estates resources
Deceased Estate ChecklistDeceased Estate Checklist for preparing documents, facts, dates, and questions connected to wills and estates.Trust Administration ChecklistTrust Administration Checklist for preparing documents, facts, dates, and questions connected to trusts.
Browse resourcesWill Drafting ChecklistChecklist for beneficiaries, executor details, assets, debts, and signing preparation.
Executor Duties GuideGuide to estate administration steps, accounts, notices, and distribution.
Inheritance Dispute ChecklistChecklist for documents, dates, beneficiary information, and dispute preparation.
Glossary
Wills and estates terms
Wills and Estates TermsTerm
Wills and EstatesWill
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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Wills and EstatesDeceased estate
The assets, liabilities, documents, and administration process that must be dealt with after a person dies.
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Wills and EstatesExecutor
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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Wills and EstatesLetter of executorship
The Master's document appointing and authorising an executor to administer a deceased estate.
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Wills and EstatesLetter 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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Wills and EstatesIntestate 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.
Explore termFAQs
Wills and estates FAQs
When should I update my will?
Review a will after major life changes such as marriage, divorce, children, property changes, business changes, or a change in beneficiaries.
What is a deceased estate?
A deceased estate is the assets and liabilities left by a person who has died.
What does an executor do?
An executor administers the deceased estate, handles estate steps, and works toward proper distribution according to the will or applicable law.
What happens if there is no valid will?
The estate may be handled under intestate succession rules, which determine who may inherit.
Lawyer discovery
Wills and estates lawyers
Annarie du Toit
Jan Ellis AttorneysNo reviews yet
Wills and Estates South Africa
Wills and EstatesCommercial LawCriminal LawMore servicesLabour LawFamily LawLitigationPersonal Injury
Michael Ellis
Jan Ellis AttorneysNo reviews yet
Wills and Estates South Africa
Wills and EstatesCommercial LawCriminal LawMore servicesLabour LawFamily LawLitigationPersonal Injury
Jan Ellis
Jan Ellis AttorneysNo reviews yet
Wills and Estates South Africa
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Marius van Staden
Savage Jooste & AdamsNo reviews yet
Wills and Estates Pretoria
Wills and EstatesLitigationConveyancingMore servicesCommercial LawConstitutional LawDispute ResolutionLabour Law
Firm discovery
Wills and estates law firms
Schoeman Borman Attorneys
2 lawyersNo reviews yet
Wills and Estates Nelspruit
Wills and Estates
Hannes Pretorius Bock & Bryant Attorneys
0 lawyersNo reviews yet
Conveyancing Somerset West
ConveyancingCriminal LawFamily LawMore servicesLitigationWills and Estates
B.R. Sandwith Inc Attorneys
0 lawyersNo reviews yet
Conveyancing South Africa
ConveyancingWills and Estates
Nordien Law Inc
0 lawyersNo reviews yet
Family Law South Africa
Family LawLitigationNotarial ServicesMore servicesWills and Estates
Locations
Location discovery
Related areas
Related practice areas
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