Aug

Cross-Border Estates: Administration Localised, Tax Worldwide

August 11, 2026Executor LawBlog, Deceased Estates

By Neville Bredenkamp van der Spuy, Attorney, Executor Law (J Bredenkamp Incorporated) Cross-border estates are becoming increasingly common among South African families, and one of the most persistent misconceptions Neville encounters is that a South African will limited to local assets also limits South African tax exposure, when in fact it does not. Succession and...

Jul

The Coalface of Deceased Estate Administration

July 15, 2026Executor LawBlog, Deceased Estates

By Neville Bredenkamp van der Spuy, Attorney, Executor Law (J Bredenkamp Incorporated) Estate planning receives enormous attention, with seminars held on tax efficiency, families debating trusts with experts, and financial planners discussing investment structures. Lawyers, like Neville, draft wills and related testamentary documentation, but then someone dies and suddenly a serious amount of work begins,...

Jul

Joint Ownership vs Sole Ownership of Property in South Africa: What Happens When One Owner Dies?

July 14, 2026Executor LawBlog, Deceased Estates

Property is often the most valuable asset in a South African estate. It is also one of the most complicated to deal with when the owner, or one of the owners, dies. The way a property is owned at the time of death determines everything: who has a claim to it, how quickly it can...

Jul

What Truly Happens When a Deceased Estate Has More Liabilities Than Assets in South Africa?

July 9, 2026Executor LawBlog, Deceased Estates

Discovering that a loved one’s deceased estate has more debt than assets is a deeply unsettling experience. It raises an immediate and frightening question: does the family have to pay? And if not, what actually happens to the estate, and to the creditors who are owed money? South African law is clear on this point,...

May

How Long Does It Take to Wind Up an Estate in South Africa?

May 21, 2026Executor LawBlog, Deceased Estates

If you have recently lost a loved one and are waiting for their estate to be finalised, you are probably asking one question repeatedly: how long is this going to take? The honest answer is that winding up a deceased estate in South Africa takes between 12 and 24 months in most cases — and...

May

What Is a Liquidation and Distribution Account in a Deceased Estate?

May 14, 2026Executor LawBlog, Deceased Estates

The Liquidation and Distribution Account — often referred to simply as the “L&D account” — is one of the most important documents in the administration of a deceased estate in South Africa. It is the formal accounting of everything the executor has done: every asset collected, every debt settled, every cost paid, and every rand...

Apr

What Happens to Your Retirement Fund When You Die?

April 23, 2026Executor LawBlog, Deceased Estates

For many South Africans, a retirement annuity, pension fund, or provident fund represents one of the most significant assets they have built over a lifetime of work. So it makes sense to ask: what actually happens to that money when you die? The answer surprises most people — and it has significant consequences for how...

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Jul

An Open Letter about your life’s work

July 31, 2025ExecutorLawBlog, Deceased Estates, Wills

To you, the reader, your family, network and community at large – there is still time to appoint a personal, trusted Executor, someone who knows you and acts with care, instead of leaving your heirs to deal with a call centre or rotating service desk for years to come. We have written an open letter...

Jul

DECEASED ESTATES TESTATE ESTATE (There is a will)

July 12, 2022ExecutorLawDeceased Estates, Blog

We all live carefree lives, have loved ones and close friends and families. We cannot possibly imagine the possibility of them not being around, until one day you get the dreaded call that shakes your very foundation. Losing a loved one is emotionally distressing and it can be very overwhelming taking care of the...

Jul

DECEASED ESTATES INTESTATE ESTATE (There is no will)