If you die without a valid will in place, the law decides who inherits your belongings. This is called dying intestate. The rules don't  take personal relationships into account and could mean an estranged spouse inherits, a life partner gets nothing, or children's inheritance are tied up in the Guardians Fund until they are turn 18. Having a valid will reflects your true wishes without leaving room for confusion.   

Yes, but it's risky. South African law has strict rules about what makes a will valid - it must be in writing, signed correctly, and witnessed properly. If any steps are missed, the will can be challenged or declared invalid. That's why many people choose to use a lawyer.

Your will should be updated whenever life changes - like getting married, divorced, having children, buying property or starting a business. An outdated will can cause just as many problems as having no will at all. Unlike some providers who limit how often you can do this, LAW FOR ALL's will benefit has no restrictions, so you can make updates whenever you need to.

Many banks and service providers that offer to draft your will "for free" require clients to nominate them as the executor, which allows them to charge executor fees.  At LAW FOR ALL, we don't do this. The executor is responsible for carrying out the instructions in your will and managing your estate after you pass away, so we believe it should always be someone you trust.

Your will must be kept somewhere secure, but also easy to access, because the original must be presented to the Master of the High Court after your death. If it can't be found, it's treated as if it never existed - a copy isn't enough. We recommend storing the original in a safe place where family can easily retrieve it when needed.