The importance of having a will and a skilled executor

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GEORGE NEWS - Rauch Gertenbach celebrates its centenary birthday this year, and its George office, located at Lache House, 120 York Street, boasts with its fiduciary department specialising in the drafting of wills and administration of deceased estates.

If you have been putting off drafting or updating your will, this is your friendly reminder to stop putting it off.

Do not rest in peace and leave the world in chaos. Making sure your will is updated and valid is an act of love. We spend our lives building something we can leave behind - our legacy.

A part of this grand build must be to have a will that will speak for you and take care of your loved ones when you are no longer around to do so.

Perhaps you are under the misunderstanding that your estate is not "worthy" of proper estate planning and a professionally drafted will. As Benjamin Franklin famously said, "Nothing in this world is certain, except death and taxes".

Unfortunately, dying in South Africa can be costly. To mitigate costs and disputes, your will and who you choose as executor are among the most powerful tools in your toolkit. Everyone is worthy of and has access to this service by contacting one of Rauch Gertenbach's fiduciary professionals.

Because, as the Western Cape High Court recently reminded us in the case of K v W (Koch v Weiland), not any Tom, Dick or Harry is lawfully allowed to administer a deceased estate - it requires expert knowledge and a degree of special care.

Do not put it off any longer. There is no better time than the present to gift yourself and your loved ones the peace of mind that is provided by a professionally drafted will and a qualified executor to execute it.

For more information regarding wills, contact the estate executors, Carien Scheepers and Ilse Viljoen, at the Rauch Gertenbach George office on 044 601 9900.

Kelly Fourie, senior associate and head of the fiduciary division at Rauch Gertenbach Attorneys.