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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Practice areaWills and Estates
Wills and Estates
Understand wills, deceased estates, executor duties, inheritance, trusts, estate reporting, and find estate lawyers.
6Estate needs
18Glossary terms
2Resources
637Lawyers
9Firms
Problem pathways
Start with the estate need
Estate matter
I need a will
Understand will drafting, beneficiaries, testators, and preparation before speaking to a lawyer.
Terms, resources, lawyersEstate matterReport a deceased estate
Start with deceased estate, reporting duties, documents, and Master of the High Court steps.
Terms, resources, lawyersEstate matterExecutor help
Understand executor roles, letters of executorship, estate accounts, and administration support.
Terms, resources, lawyersEstate matterNo valid will
Explore intestate succession, heirs, beneficiaries, and estate distribution questions.
Terms, resources, lawyersEstate matterEstate documents
Understand letters of executorship, letters of authority, and documents usually needed.
Terms, resources, lawyersEstate matterTrust issue
Connect estate planning with trusts, trustees, trust deeds, and trust administration paths.
Terms, resources, lawyersOverview
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.
Next step
Need help with a will or estate?
Services
Common services
Will Drafting
Prepare or review a will, beneficiaries, executor appointment, and signing requirements.
Deceased Estates
Estate reporting, administration steps, documents, heirs, beneficiaries, and distribution.
Executor Support
Executor duties, letters of executorship, estate accounts, and administration decisions.
Letters of Executorship
Master-issued authority for an executor to administer a deceased estate.
Letters of Authority
Master-issued authority often used in smaller estates and estate administration steps.
Trust Administration
Trustees, trust deeds, trust property, letters of authority, and beneficiary questions.
Glossary
Popular wills and estates terms
Wills and Estates TermsTerm
Wills and EstatesWill
Document saying how a persons estate must be dealt with after death.
Explore termWills and Estates TermsTerm
Wills and EstatesDeceased estate
Assets and liabilities left by a person who died.
Explore termWills and Estates TermsTerm
Wills and EstatesExecutor
Person appointed to administer a deceased estate.
Explore termWills and Estates TermsTerm
Wills and EstatesLetter of executorship
Masters document authorising an executor to act.
Explore termWills and Estates TermsTerm
Wills and EstatesLetter of authority
Masters authority often used for smaller estates.
Explore termWills and Estates TermsTerm
Wills and EstatesIntestate succession
Default inheritance rules when there is no valid will.
Explore termResources
Wills and estates resources
ChecklistDeceased Estate Checklist
Deceased Estate Checklist for preparing documents, facts, dates, and questions connected to wills and estates.
Wills and EstatesChecklistTrust Administration Checklist
Trust Administration Checklist for preparing documents, facts, dates, and questions connected to trusts.
TrustsRelated guide
Will Drafting Checklist
Checklist for beneficiaries, executor details, assets, debts, and signing preparation.
Preparation pathRelated guide
Executor Duties Guide
Guide to estate administration steps, accounts, notices, and distribution.
Preparation pathRelated guide
Inheritance Dispute Checklist
Checklist for documents, dates, beneficiary information, and dispute preparation.
Preparation pathFAQs
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
Anzel Lombard
UnverifiedSouth Africa
Commercial LawConveyancingDebt Collection
Bardine Hall
UnverifiedSouth Africa
Administrative LawDispute ResolutionCommercial Law
Bartho van Tonder
UnverifiedCape Town
ConveyancingLitigationCommercial Law
Cynthia du Plessis
UnverifiedRustenburg
Commercial LawConveyancingCriminal Law
Firm discovery
Wills and estates law firms
Hannes Pretorius Bock & Bryant Attorneys
UnverifiedSouth Africa
6 lawyersConveyancingCriminal LawFamily Law
B.R. Sandwith Inc Attorneys
UnverifiedSouth Africa
0 lawyersConveyancingWills and Estates
SchoemanLaw Inc
UnverifiedCape Town
5 lawyersCommercial LawEstate PlanningFamily Law
Schoeman Borman Attorneys
UnverifiedNelspruit
2 lawyersWills and Estates
Locations
Location discovery
Related areas
Related practice areas
Legal help