1. You forfeit the opportunity to decide who inherits what and your Estate is distributed according to South African law. This means people who you may not have wanted to benefit from your Estate may inherit your Estate.
2. Your Partner may be left with nothing if you are not married or your Will is not updated from a previous marriage.
3. Your Children’s inheritance could pass to the Government Guardian’s Fund or appointed Guardian rather than to a Trust that will ensure your wishes for them are carried out.
4. Family feuds often occur when family members argue over the distribution of your Estate when final wishes are not clearly documented in a Will.
5. Winding up your Estate can take years – without a Will appointing a professional Executor, the government is essentially in control of the process.
