Allow us to relieve the burden of having to wade through the legal processes in order to administer your loved one’s estate. We are swift and professional and have a proven track record with many satisfied clients over the years.

Being a family firm, we understand that personal, compassionate interactions are important in order to relieve the harshness of the situation. In appointing our firm, we add you to our family and shelter you under our wing throughout the legal process.

Administrator: The person who assists the executor in finalising the estate.

Estate: All assets and liabilities of a person.

Executors: The people appointed to administer and wind up the estate.

Heir: any person, charity or organisation that is entitled to receive an inheritance.

Intestate: the term used when a person has died without leaving a will.

Liquidation and Distribution Account: An account recording what assets have been realised and transferred to the heirs and what monies have been paid to the debtors. This account must be submitted to the Master of the High Court to finalise the estate process.

Legacy: A specific bequest to a person, charity or organisation.

Letters of Executorship: This is the letter of authority appointing the executor. The Master: The estate must be reported to the Master of the High Court in the region where the deceased person was residing.

Trust: A separate tax entity created by a founder to hold assets for his nominated beneficiaries and administered by people that he trusts.

By statute, the maximum amount which can be charged for the administration of an estate is 3,99% (inclusive of VAT) of the gross value of the estate.

We know from our administrative experience that every estate is different and each one has its own complexities. We will therefore always tailor a suitable and fair percentage of the gross value of the estate to an individual situation keeping in mind that the client comes first.

Rest Assured

We pride ourselves that the vast majority of our work is from word of mouth referrals. We hope to exceed your expectations in a time that you need to rely on a professional most.

1. We complete the necessary legal forms and collect the relevant documentation from you at our initial meeting in order to begin with the estate process.
2. We manage the entire administration process completely, from our first meeting with you to finalisation of the estate.
3. We can either act as the Executors in the estate or we can assist the Executor, as need be.
4. The average turnaround time for the administration of an estate is approximately 9 months although all estates are different and the complexity of the estate varies the time frame for finalisation. We will endeavour to the make the administration process as quick and hassle free as possible.
5. Once the relevant documentation has been completed at our initial meeting, the estate is reported to the Master of the High Court.
6. The Master of the High Court usually issues Letters of Executorship within a period of 4-6 weeks from lodgement of our application documents. These Letters of Executorship appoint the Executor to attend to the finalisation of the estate and starts the entire process.
7. An estate late bank account is then opened in the name of the deceased estate.
8. An advertisement is placed in a local newspaper and the Government Gazette inviting anyone who has a claim against the estate to contact us.
9. Correspondence is sent to all relevant institutions requesting:
   • payment of all monies into the estate late bank account
   • the issue of tax certificates, where necessary, and
   • that they lodge their claims for any debts outstanding.
10. All debts of the estate are covered from monies collected and if there is insufficient money to cover the debts we will meet with the heirs to discuss the sale of assets, as need be.
11. As we are Notaries, Conveyancers and Financial Planners, we do not outsource any aspect of the administration process and provide one point of contact for all of your queries.
12. A Liquidation and Distribution Account is drafted and lodged with the Master of the High Court advising of what assets have been realised, what debts have been paid and what balance needs to be distributed to the heirs of the estate.
13. A second advertisement is then placed in a local newspaper and the Government Gazette inviting anyone who has an interest in the estate to view the Liquidation and Distribution Account at the Master of the High Court and the local Magistrates Court and to lodge any objection they may have to the account within 21 days.
14. Should there be no objection or query to the Liquidation and Distribution Account the balance of the estate can be distributed to the heirs in terms of the will or in terms of intestate succession.
15. We will keep you fully updated on a regular basis regarding all developments in the finalisation of the estate and we strive to always place the needs of the beneficiaries first.