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Estate Administration Tools

Access our complete suite of free resources for South African deceased estates.

🧮 Estate Duty Calc 📋 Master's Checklist 📄 Required Documents 📝 Draft J243 ⚖️ Intestate Calc 📈 CGT at Death 📊 Draft L&D Account 🏠 Property Transfer Costs 🛡️ Trust Compliance
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Will Validity Diagnostic

Based strictly on the South African Wills Act 7 of 1953
The Master of the High Court routinely rejects Wills due to minor technicalities. If a Will is rejected, the estate devolves according to the laws of Intestate Succession. Use this tool to check if your document meets the strict formal requirements.
1. Is the Will in writing?

(It must be handwritten or typed. Video or audio recordings are not accepted).

2. Did the Testator (the deceased) sign at the very end of the document?
3. Does the Will consist of more than one page?
3(b). Did the Testator sign anywhere on every single page?
4. Did at least TWO competent witnesses (aged 14 or older) sign the Will?
5. Were the witnesses and the Testator all present at the exact same time when signing?

(They must have watched each other sign).

6. Is either of the witnesses (or their spouse) named in the Will to receive an inheritance, or appointed as the Executor?

✅ Formally Valid

Based on your answers, this document appears to satisfy the formal signing and witnessing requirements of the Wills Act 7 of 1953.

Next steps: You may proceed to lodge the original document with the Master of the High Court.

❌ Invalid (Intestate)

Based on your answers, this document fails the strict requirements of the Wills Act. The Master's Office will likely reject it.

Consequence: The estate will be administered according to the Intestate Succession Act. Assets will be divided according to a rigid legal formula, not the deceased's wishes.

⚠️ The Section 4A Trap

The Will itself is formally valid, BUT you have triggered Section 4A of the Wills Act.

Any person who signs as a witness (or their spouse) is legally disqualified from receiving any benefit from that Will, and is disqualified from acting as Executor.

This is a critical flaw. There are rare exceptions (e.g., applying to a High Court). You need specialised legal intervention immediately.

Get a formal legal review of this assessment emailed to you.