LegalWills.co.za features that are not supported by any other leading online Will service.
While reviews focus on price, design and support, many ignore testing the service’s actual capabilities. We pride ourselves on a service that can adapt to your needs. Let’s look at 11 features only available at LegalWills.co.za.
Understanding the Importance of a Legal Last Will
A legal Last Will is a crucial document that outlines how an individual’s assets and properties should be distributed after their passing. It is a vital part of the estate planning process, ensuring that one’s wishes are respected and their loved ones are taken care of. In South Africa, there is absolutely no legal requirement to use a lawyer to prepare a Will, but it is highly recommended to seek legal counsel to ensure that the document is comprehensive and lawyer-approved. This ensures that your Will is not only legally binding but also tailored to your specific personal or financial situation.
The Probate Process: What You Need to Know
The probate process is a court-supervised procedure that authenticates the validity of a Will and ensures that the deceased person’s assets are distributed according to their wishes. In South Africa, the probate process typically involves the following steps:
- Filing the Will with the Master of the High Court
- Notifying the beneficiaries and heirs
- Gathering and valuing the assets
- Paying off debts and taxes
- Distributing the assets according to the Will
Understanding the probate process is essential to ensure that one’s estate is handled efficiently and effectively. This knowledge helps in minimizing delays and ensuring that the estate is settled according to the deceased’s wishes.
1. Flexible Estate Distribution
A legal Last Will allows for flexible estate distribution, enabling individuals to allocate their assets according to their wishes. This can include leaving specific gifts to loved ones, establishing trusts for minors or individuals with special needs, and donating to charitable causes. In South Africa, individuals can also use their Will to appoint an executor, who will be responsible for managing their estate and ensuring that their wishes are carried out.
It is important that a service doesn’t box you into a corner with your distribution plan. For example, one leading online Will writing service, at this same point in the distribution plan gives you ONE option (and that option doesn’t really make any sense, the child of one beneficiary is the other beneficiary. The second beneficiary is a minor child)
2. Multiple Executor Appointments
A legal Last Will also allows individuals to appoint multiple executors, who can work together to manage their estate. This can be beneficial in cases where the estate is complex or requires specialized knowledge. In South Africa, executors can be appointed to manage specific aspects of the estate, such as the distribution of assets or the management of business interests.
LegalWills.co.za uniquely supports up to three alternate Executors who can either all step into the role together, or they can assume their responsibilities in succession.
No other online service provider offers close to this flexibility for the Executor appointments.
3. Lifetime Interest Trusts
A legal Last Will can also be used to establish lifetime interest trusts, which allow individuals to provide for their loved ones while minimizing tax liabilities. In South Africa, lifetime interest trusts can be used to provide for spouses, children, or other beneficiaries, while also ensuring that the estate is managed efficiently and effectively.
LegalWills.co.za is the only service that supports lifetime interest trusts for blended families. This crucial legal document ensures your estate benefits your spouse during their lifetime and then passes to your children, keeping the family ties across generations.
4. Customizable Minor Trusts
You can create different inheritances for each minor beneficiary. LegalWills.co.za allows different distribution ages for different beneficiaries, unlike others who use a one-size-fits-all approach.
This can be useful as it allows you to take into account different personalities (perhaps some children will be more likely to responsibly handle a large inheritance at 21, but others may need to wait a few years).
But it is also useful because it allows your children to receive their inheritances at the same time, even if their ages are a couple of years apart.
5. Estate Planning Documents for International Assets
Our Expat Will service is for South Africans with assets in the US or UK or Canada. We offer Wills per jurisdiction so you can tailor your Will to each country. This dual-Will approach prevents one Will from canceling out the other, a common problem without proper planning.
6. Detailed Funeral Wishes
LegalWills.co.za has a MyFuneral service that’s better than just burial or cremation options. Our 19 step guide helps you document your exact wishes so your loved ones are informed and less stressed.
7. Professional Review
While our user-friendly service covers most needs, we also offer a professional review by an estate planning attorney. This ensures all necessary legal documents are in place and your Will is clear and compliant, so you can relax.
8. Printing and Mailing Service
If you don’t have access to a printer, LegalWills.co.za offers document printing and mailing service. You can get your Last Will and Testament quickly and privately, even expedited if needed.
9. Inventory of Personal Details and Assets
Don’t list assets in your Will. Instead, use our MyLifeLocker tool to keep an inventory of your assets, so nothing is missed and your Executor is informed. While our user-friendly service covers most needs, we also offer a professional review to ensure your legal will is clear and compliant.
10. Secure Legal Document Vault
Store important documents in our Vault, accessible only to trusted individuals with a unique keyholder ID. This ensures secure and authorized access when needed, and protects your files.
11. Competitive Pricing
At LegalWills.co.za you can draft a Will for under R500, with no hidden fees. We are transparent and customer focused, unlike others who may charge subscriptions or share your data. Use our MyLifeLocker tool to keep an inventory of your assets and other legal documents, so nothing is missed and your Executor is informed.
Why LegalWills.co.za?
Experience and Trust: We’ve been operating since 2003 and have never had a probate issue with a family we’ve helped. Store important documents in our Vault, ensuring that you have the same quality documents as those created by estate planning lawyers.
Client Feedback: Our hundreds of thousands of happy clients leave positive reviews, about our fast customer support and reliable service.
Get Started Today
30 day money back guarantee. If you have questions, contact our support team to help you with your Will.
He has over 20 years of experience helping people to write their Will and other estate planning documents. He has been interviewed by many of the major news media outlets and has contributed to articles in most leading publications. He has also contributed to a number of financial planning books.
Throughout his career, Tim has written extensively on the subject of Will writing and estate planning.
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