Latest News & Developments
estate planning
Clairwood residents raise concerns over proposed logistics park rezoning
Residents of Clairwood express their concerns regarding the eThekwini Municipality’s proposal to rezone their suburb into a logistics park, citing inadequate communication and the need for further consultation.
Why you should prioritise estate planning for peace of mind in 2025
With the unpredictable twists and turns of life, estate planning is paramount for both your peace of mind and the wellbeing of your loved ones.
Estate planning, legacy planning and your will – what’s the difference?
Estate planning refers to growing and protecting your assets over your lifetime and planning how those assets will be managed and transferred after your death.
Make sure your wishes are respected by having a valid will
Ensure that your loved ones are taken care of by having a valid will.
Reviewing your will should be your top priority this National Wills Week
Reviewing your will should a priority if there has been any changes in your lifestyle.
National Wills Week: Six mistakes to avoid when choosing an executor
During National Wills Week, it is essential for individuals to carefully consider their choice of executor, as this decision can significantly affect the management of their estate.
Drawing up a will can give your loved ones a lasting legacy
Drafting a will allow you to offer security to your loved ones as well as protect their financial future.
Citizens urged to get free Wills drawn amid National Wills Week
The initiative serves to urge publicans to prioritise drawing up their Wills in order to ensure their estate is used efficiently, while protecting the interests of loved ones.
Three wives battle over estate
The court was asked to declare that the man had been customarily married to the applicant, Thani Zwane, and the other two wives – Mary Zwane, the first respondent, and Joan Zwane – and that they were all three thus on equal footing.
Lawfully married vs lovers
The deceased whose estate formed the subject of the application died in Switzerland, where his partner took care of him until the end. She, however, also died shortly afterwards.
Mistakes that South Africans make when investing offshore
Moving your investments offshore and gaining foreign residency aren’t DIY endeavours.
Four things you need to consider to protect your financial legacy
People need to think of their will as the cornerstone of a comprehensive financial plan.
Experts offer advice on organising your personal life for 2024
As everyone prepares to ring in the new year in just a few days, experts provide critical tips for planning your personal affairs for 2024.
Muslim woman victorious in bid to have ex-husband evicted from her home
The couple’s marriage broke down in 2019, prompting the wife to move out of the matrimonial home in Pinelands in July that year before they were officially divorced in 2020.
Candidate attorneys forced to queue at Master’s Office before 8am
Poor service delivery by the Master’s Office across the country was recently laid bare before Parliament with the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) calling on the national legislature to intervene as a matter of urgency.
Ruan Jooste Rants and Cents: Be careful when planning your legacy
It is the last week of wills month, which is an annual awareness campaign around a very important part of estate planning. Planning one’s own mortality is often the last thing on anybody’s mind, but failing to draw up a valid will or a proper plan can leave questions around your dying wishes – and leave your loved ones with unanticipated costs onto your estate - opportunity and otherwise. This can include legal, and administration costs, as well as executor’s fees and estate duties. And trust me it all adds up.
Trust-to-Trust: Advisers and accountants cannot look the other way
Non-compliance goes way beyond reportable irregularities and includes actual or suspected non-compliance with our country’s laws including the Trust Property Control Act, the Estate Duty Act, the Transfer Duty Act, and the Income Tax Act.
A penny advised is a penny earned
Each year, global financial planning professionals come together for World Financial Planning Day to help raise awareness of the value of financial planning and the caveats that come with it.
Sound financial advice pays more than just dividends
Financial advisers cannot predict how markets and their clients’ investments will perform and should not be expected to, but they can boost your financial position in less obvious ways. Several studies have quantified how much added value a professional adviser brings to a client’s finances over the long term, and it can be considerable.
Listen: Tax and Trusts - Sars is watching you
At last month’s South African Institute of Taxation Tax Indaba, trusts were on the agenda again. And the South African Revenue Service (Sars) new measures of ensuring trusts are run as separate entities (such as companies) on a real-time basis and not on an ad hoc basis in an attempt to prove compliance, was very much part of the conversation.
Words on Wealth: Don’t forget your crypto when drafting your will
South Africans are growing their digital wealth. A recent survey by Singapore cryptocurrency exchange TripleA estimated there to be 5. 8 million cryptocurrency owners in South Africa. Of these, 46% each hold more than R10 000 in crypto assets, while 12% own more than R100 000.
Trustworthy: SARS expects ongoing compliance for trusts
At the recent South African Institute of Taxation (Sait) Tax Indaba, trusts were on the agenda again. In conversation, the message of the South African Revenue Service (Sars) was loud and clear – new measures they have put in place are aimed at giving Sars the assurance that trusts are run as separate entities (such as companies) on a real-time basis and not on an ad hoc basis in an attempt to prove compliance.
Listen: Wills Week- How your marriage arrangement impacts your estate planning
It is National Wills Week, the annual national awareness campaign championed by the law society, that looks into one very important part of estate planning - having a will.
New rules pose significant problems to foreign trusts
Income arising in a South African trust that is distributed to a beneficiary within the same tax year is treated as the income of the beneficiary, irrespective of their tax residence. Effectively, the trust is disregarded.
A will is a must for all to leave as a parting gift to family
According to 2022 statistics from the Master of the High Court of South Africa, more than 70% of South Africans do not have a will and are unaware that this could leave their dependants and families in dire straits when they die. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) is promoting National Wills Week from September 11 to 15, in line with its mandate to empower households and small businesses to be financially resilient. The week is dedicated to increasing awareness of the importance of having a valid will.