Why Every South African Also Needs a “Digital Will”
Estate planning in South Africa has followed a well-trodden path: we draft a will, appoint an executor, and ensure our physical assets – the house, the car, the Krugerrands – are accounted for.
However, in an era where our lives are increasingly hosted in the cloud, a significant portion of our estates is becoming invisible. Without a “digital will” or a comprehensive folder, your heirs may find themselves locked out of your financial, sentimental, and professional life.
Death and (Capital Gains) Taxes: Don’t Get Caught Out
Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is not a flashy, Ferrari-driving, Gucci-wearing kind of tax. Instead, it quietly goes about its business in the background, day in and day out. This doesn’t make it any less consequential.
Many estates that appear financially secure can come under unexpected pressure from Capital Gains Tax at death. The good news is that there are several relief mechanisms within the tax system that, with careful planning, can meaningfully reduce this impact.
Who Should Inherit Your Wealth?
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” (Winston Churchill) Writing a will isn’t only about dividing assets – it’s about expressing your values, protecting your family, and reducing the risk of conflict after you’re gone. Yet many South Africans put it off. According to the […]
Preserving Legacy Beyond Wealth
“A rich person should leave his kids enough to do anything, but not enough to do nothing.” (Warren Buffett) In the next couple of decades, families with intergenerational wealth will be transferring far more than assets (including homes, holiday homes, and successful businesses and investments). They will also be transferring value systems and philanthropic support, […]
How Can You Protect Your Heirs’ Inheritances from Their Creditors?
“The only person who sticks closer to you in adversity than a friend is a creditor.” (Unknown) You’ve done everything you can to leave your loved ones financially secure after you die. You’ve left enough assets to set them up in their own lives, made a valid will (“Last Will and Testament”), and chosen a […]
Navigating Inheritance Conversations: Turning Tough Talks into Lasting Legacies
“A life of luxury sounds nice, but generational wealth sounds better.” (Unknown) As the old adage goes: “The first generation creates wealth, the second generation preserves wealth, and the third generation squanders it!” Our goal is to prevent this. If you’re fortunate enough to have created generational wealth, it’s extremely important that your heirs know […]
From Vows to Verdicts: What Happens to Your Will After Divorce?
“Divorce is the one human tragedy that reduces everything to cash.” (Rita Mae Brown) Your will is a legal document that spells out how your assets should be distributed when you pass away. This is all well and good when you’re married and you want to leave everything to each other. But what happens when […]
Aligning Your “Wheel of Life” – A Beginner’s Guide
As your wheel of life turns, your financial needs, goals and focuses change. When you start working, you’re absorbed by accumulating assets. Later, as you near retirement, your focus shifts to wealth preservation. And eventually, when you’re settled and comfortable in your golden years, the transfer of wealth becomes your number one priority. It goes […]
Make Sure Your Family is Financially Prepared for When You Pass Away
“Death is the penalty we all pay for the privilege of life.” (Robert Half) We know we can’t escape death. But most of us still do everything we can to ignore or avoid it. The problem is that if we don’t acknowledge our own mortality, we won’t prepare for it. And, unfortunately, that can have […]
Living Wills: A Must Have, Despite the Grey Areas
What is a Living Will? A Living Will is a document describing your preferences for medical treatment if you are terminally ill or injured and are unable to communicate. For instance, you may not want doctors to use artificial breathing equipment or tube feeding to keep you alive while insisting on pain relief at all […]
