13/10/2026
The Master of the High Court cannot accept a copy of your will.
Only the signed original counts. Keep it safe, and make sure your family knows who is holding it. Without a valid will, the Intestate Succession Act decides: a surviving spouse and any children inherit together, and parents, then siblings, take only if there is neither. If you leave no valid will and you are the sole guardian of a minor child, the court selects and appoints a guardian, acting in the child's best interests, though the choice may differ from yours.
Laurette Koen is the Wealth Fiduciary Adviser at PSG Wealth Outeniqua, where drafting a will sits alongside trusts and deceased estate administration. Have your current will, your marriage contract and the beneficiary nominations on your retirement funds and life policies ready for that conversation.
Call: 044 802 7100
Email: [email protected]