Estate planning · Client intake

Estate planning

Tell us about yourself, your family and what you own, and we will come back to you with a written estate plan proposal: what your will should say, whether a trust makes sense, how to keep estate duty, CGT and executor's fees down, and a fixed fee. It takes about fifteen minutes. Leave anything that doesn't apply blank: we will fill the gaps in a short call. Fields marked * are required.

Your information stays on your device. We store your answers securely when you send them to us. Until then, a draft stays on this device only. We handle it in confidence, in line with POPIA.

Prefer paper? Download the blank questionnaire (PDF), type directly into it or print it and complete in ink, then return it by email to office@lawvero.co.za together with the documents listed in section H.

Section A

Your details

So we know who we are planning for and how to come back to you.

Full names and surname (as on your ID)

South African ID number (or passport number and country)

Date of birth

Email address

Contact number

Preferred way to be contacted

Residential address

Occupation

Are you a South African tax resident?

Do you hold citizenship or residency of any other country?

Section B

Marriage and family

Your marital regime decides what is actually yours to leave, so this section matters more than it looks.

Worth knowing. If you are married in community of property, only your half of the joint estate passes under your will. If you are married with the accrual system, your spouse may have a claim against your estate before anything is distributed. We check the regime before drafting.

Marital status

If married, under which regime?

Date and place of marriage

Do you have a copy of your antenuptial contract?

Spouse or partner's full names and surname

Spouse or partner's ID number

Any previous marriages? Give the dates and how each ended.

Are you paying maintenance under a court order or divorce settlement to anyone?

Children (including adopted, stepchildren and children from previous relationships)

Child 1

Full names and surname

Date of birth

Biological / adopted / stepchild

Other parent (if not your current spouse)

Does any child or dependant have a disability or special needs that affect how they should inherit?

Anyone else financially dependent on you (parents, siblings, others)?

Section C

What is already in place

Give us what you have. Leave blank anything you are not sure of.

Do you currently have a will?

If yes: when was it signed and who drafted it?

Where is the original kept?

Does your spouse or partner have a will?

Any existing trusts you founded, are a trustee of, or benefit from?

Do you have a living will (advance directive)?

Have you signed a power of attorney for anyone?

When did you last review your estate plan with an adviser?

Section D

What you own

Approximate values are fine: we are sizing the estate, not valuing it. Round numbers to the nearest R10 000.

Worth knowing. Retirement fund benefits are paid out by the fund's trustees under section 37C of the Pension Funds Act and do not pass under your will. Life policies with a nominated beneficiary are paid directly to that person but are still counted for estate duty. We plan around both.

Immovable property (houses, flats, farms, plots, holiday homes)

Property 1

Address or description

Registered in whose name?

Approximate value (R)

Bond outstanding (R)

Business interests (companies, close corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships)

Business 1

Entity name

Your shareholding or interest (%)

Approximate value of your interest (R)

Shareholders' or buy-and-sell agreement in place?

Do any of these businesses or trusts owe you money on loan account? Approximate amounts.

Investments and savings (unit trusts, shares, tax-free accounts, fixed deposits, crypto)

Approximate total cash in bank accounts (R)

Retirement funds (pension, provident, retirement annuity, preservation funds)

Fund 1

Fund or administrator

Approximate value (R)

Nominated beneficiary on the fund's records

Life and funeral policies

Policy 1

Insurer

Sum assured (R)

Beneficiary nominated (or 'estate')

Ceded to a bank or anyone else?

Vehicles, boats, art, jewellery, collections, firearms and other valuables

Assets outside South Africa (property, accounts, investments, inheritances due)

Digital assets worth noting (crypto wallets, domain names, online businesses, monetised accounts)

Any inheritance or large gift you expect to receive?

Your rough estimate of your total net worth (R)

Section E

What you owe

Debts and guarantees decide whether the estate will have enough cash to settle without selling assets your family wants to keep.

Total outstanding on home loans / bonds (R)

Other debts (vehicle finance, personal loans, credit cards, loans from family or businesses)

Have you signed surety or a guarantee for anyone's debt (including your own business)?

Are your tax affairs with SARS up to date?

Any pending litigation, claims against you, or disputes that could affect your estate?

Section F

Your wishes

This is the heart of the plan. Tell us in plain language: we turn it into the right legal wording.

Worth knowing. If a child under 18 inherits directly and there is no trust, their inheritance is paid into the Guardian's Fund administered by the Master until they turn 18. Most parents prefer a testamentary trust so a trustee they choose manages the money, and the child receives it at an age they choose.

Who do you want as executor of your estate?

Alternate executor if that person cannot act

Guardian for minor children (if both parents are gone)

Alternate guardian

Who should inherit the bulk of your estate, and in what shares?

Specific items or amounts you want to leave to particular people or charities

Should inheritances for children be held in a trust until a certain age?

If a trust is created, who should the trustees be?

Is there anyone you specifically want to exclude, or treat differently from the others?

Should your spouse or partner have the right to live in the home for life, with the property then going to someone else?

Who should take over or receive your business interests?

Funeral, burial, cremation or organ donation wishes

Would you like us to advise on a separate will for assets outside South Africa?

Section G

Priorities and concerns

Tick what matters most so we design around it.

Section H

Supporting documentsoptional

If you have them to hand, attach any of the following. It saves a round of emails, but send the form without them if you don't.

Copy of your ID (and your spouse or partner's ID)
Marriage certificate and antenuptial contract, if any
Divorce order and settlement agreement, if any
Your existing will, and any trust deeds
Latest policy schedules and retirement fund statements
Title deeds or latest bond statements for property
Shareholders' or buy-and-sell agreements for any business
Latest statement of assets and liabilities, if your accountant prepares one

Tap to add documentsor drag & drop: PDF, JPG or PNG

Blank Questions (PDF)