Have your will drafted for free in National Wills Week

THIS week is National Wills Week and South Africans are encouraged to seize the opportunity to have their wills drafted for free.

National Wills Week is commemorated every year in September, and is this year observed from 13-17 September.

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By making a will you ensure your assets are disposed of in accordance with your wishes after your death. This privilege is called ‘freedom of testation’.

A breadwinner passing on without a valid will is traumatic, and places financial strain on loved ones and family members left behind.

It is reported that every year, billions of rands go unclaimed in South Africa because family members are not aware of policies and investments that a deceased individual had.

Why should you approach an attorney to assist you with the drafting of your will?
Attorneys who attend to the winding up of estates are both qualified and experienced to give a client proper advice and to draft a valid will, which will not only comply with legislation but equally important, contain the wishes of the testator or testatrix.
In drafting a will, the testator is able to make provision for any minor children who are dependent on the testator and the managing of their assets and finances until such time as they can attend thereto themselves.
Further, a will can also provide for any funeral arrangements, which in the absence of a will, will have to be attended to at the discretion of the deceased’s family members.

What happens in the event that you die without a valid will?
In terms of South African law, in the event that a person dies without a valid will the Intestate Succession Act will be applicable to such person’s estate.The act provides that all the assets that form part of the deceased’s estate shall be distributed to their spouse and children (should they have any), alternatively their parents or siblings, and in exceptional cases, even extended family members.