It is heartbreaking when a loved one dies. The idea of having to deal with their belongings after their death (“deceased estate”) can be scary for the family. A deceased estate must be reported to the Master of the High Court (“Master”) or a Magistrates’ Office service point to appoint a person that will deal with the administration of the deceased estate. The administration of a deceased estate does not have to be scary and this article will shed some light on the procedures that must be followed.

Trusts are very useful estate planning tools and can be used for a wide variety of purposes. It basically means that a person (founder) puts his/her trust in someone else (trustee) to manage assets on behalf of someone (beneficiary).

If a person dies without a Will, his/her deceased estate will be distributed in terms of the Intestate Succession Act. This is also known as the rules of intestate succession.