Administration of deceased estates – Wills – Succession – Estate planning

The intention of the testator is the polar star by which we must be guided. 

Buller, J., Smith v. Coffin (1795), 2 Hen. Bl. 444; id. Tindal, L.C.J., Wilce v. Wilce (1831), 5 M. & P. 694.

The Estates department at our firm handles various types of estates from sec 18(3) (Value less than R250 000.00) to estates exceeding R1 million, both testate and intestate. Our Estates department is run by an attorney and Conveyancer who has almost 10 years experience in the administration of deceased estates.

The Estates department is capable of handling and attending to the drafting of wills, redistribution agreements, liquidation and distribution accounts including the completing and finalisation of all the necessary preliminary documents for reporting estates, calculation of Estate duty and the distribution of assets, including the transfer of properties to the respective heirs.

Our attorneys liase personally with all clients and examiners of the Masters office and therefore provide a reliable, personal and efficient service to all our clients. The Estates departments endeavours to maintain all time constraints imposed by the Act to the best of their ability in order to finalise the estates within the prescribed period.

Our Professional staff believe that the drafting of a will is of utmost importance which requires great deliberation and urgent attendance. The will speaks for the Testator and regulates the devolvement of his assets after his death.

Estate planning and the drafting of a sound will are fundamental to the concept of ordering one’s affairs in such a way as to derive maximum benefit for one’s property during one’s lifetime, and to enable one’s dependents and heirs to benefit similarly after one’s death.

Should these aspects (Estate planning and the drafting of the will) not have been properly drafted some awkward problems are bound to arise in the administration process.

Our Estates Department always strive to satisfy all our client’s needs by rendering a professional and high quality service.