Key Benefits and Risks of Setting up a Trust
A trust is a legal arrangement where ownership of property is transferred to trustees, who manage it for the general benefit of identified beneficiaries or to fulfil clearly defined objectives set out in the trust deed. Trusts fall into two main categories, depending on when they are created. An inter vivos trust is created during […]
Estate Planning in a Second Marriage: What a Will Alone Cannot Resolve
A second marriage introduces a layer of legal and financial complexity that most couples underestimate. When both parties bring children, assets, and, in many cases, prior divorce settlements into a new union, the standard estate planning question shifts from “who gets what?” to “what does the law say happens first?” The answer depends heavily on […]
Can You Contest a Liquidation and Distribution Account?
One of the final steps in winding up a deceased estate is the drawing up of the Liquidation and Distribution Account (L&D Account), which is the executor’s complete financial account of the estate. Before that account can be finalised, though, it must be opened up to public scrutiny. So yes, you can contest it, but […]
Can AI Write Your Will? Here’s Why That’s a Gamble
Somewhere out there, someone is asking ChatGPT to “write me a will” the same way they’d ask it to write a birthday speech. It’s a reasonable instinct. AI is fast, free, and confident – three qualities that make it dangerously persuasive when the stakes are your entire estate. Here’s the twist, though: even South Africa’s […]
Documents that Help Pave the Way
If you can believe it, we are already at the end of January. With all the beginning-of-year struggles and excitement, there is something to keep in mind – your New Year’s resolutions. It is never too late to become better organised. One of the best ways to become better organised is to put life’s most […]
Tips for investing in property for retirement
Have you ever wondered if real estate is a sound investment? Well, it certainly can be! There are people out there who have invested in real estate and created a very comfortable lifestyle for themselves. That being said, there are also people out there who have lost everything due to bad real estate investments. When […]
SHOULD I PLAN MY ESTATE AS A YOUNG ADULT?
It is very important for you to plan your estate, which could include a living will, a last will and a living trust. This can help families prepare for difficult times when you are no longer around to assist or advise them. Our lives get busier and more complicated by the day, so estate planning […]
THE BASICS OF ESTATE DUTY
When a person dies, they leave behind an estate which includes everything they own. Estate Duty is payable on the estate of every person who dies and whose nett estate is in excess of R3,5 million. It is charged at the rate of 20%. Currently, SARS is responsible for collecting the Estate Duty of a deceased person. […]
START PLANNING YOUR ESTATE, NOW
It is very important for you to plan your estate, which could include a living will, a last will and a living trust. This can help families prepare for difficult times when you are no longer around to assist or advise them. Our lives get busier and more complicated by the day, so estate planning […]
THE BASICS OF ESTATE DUTY
When a person dies, they leave behind an estate which includes everything they own. Estate Duty is payable on the estate of every person who dies and whose nett estate is in excess of R3,5 million. It is charged at the rate of 20%. Currently, SARS is responsible for collecting the Estate Duty of a deceased person. […]