Wills & Estates Attorneys
A valid will, a sound estate plan, and the steady administration of an estate when it is needed most. We protect your wishes and guide your family through every step with care and clarity.
What We Offer
From the will you sign today to the administration of an estate years from now, we look after the whole of it, with the care a family deserves.
“A will is the one document that speaks for you when you no longer can. Getting it right is an act of care for the people you leave behind.”
Few legal documents matter as much as your will, and few legal processes are as sensitive as winding up the estate of someone who has died. At Jonker Vorster Attorneys, we handle both with equal care: we draft clear, valid wills that record exactly what you want, and we administer deceased estates with the diligence and compassion that grieving families need.
A well-drafted will is the foundation of everything that follows. It nominates your executor, appoints guardians for minor children, can establish a trust to protect vulnerable beneficiaries, and ensures your assets pass to the people you choose rather than according to a rigid statutory formula. We take the time to understand your circumstances and translate your wishes into a document that will hold up when it counts.
When the time comes, the administration of an estate is a detailed, court-supervised process under the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965. We report the estate to the Master of the High Court, obtain the Letters of Executorship, deal with creditors, SARS, and the banks, draw the liquidation and distribution account, and see the estate through to final distribution, so the family is never left to navigate it alone.
Our Wills & Estates Services
Everything from the drafting of a single will to the full administration of a complex estate, handled by attorneys who treat it as the personal matter it is.
Drafting Your Will
A properly drafted, valid will that meets every requirement of the Wills Act 7 of 1953, clearly records your wishes, nominates your executor and guardians, and prevents the disputes that vague or home-made wills so often cause.
Estate Planning
Structuring your assets during your lifetime to provide for your loved ones, reduce estate duty and executor’s fees where possible, and ensure liquidity so your estate is not forced to sell assets to settle its obligations.
Deceased Estate Administration
Full administration of a deceased estate under the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965, from reporting the estate to the Master through to the liquidation and distribution account and final distribution to heirs.
Executorship Services
We act as executor or assist a nominated executor, attending to the Master’s requirements, the estate bank account, creditors, SARS, and the transfer of assets, so the estate is wound up correctly and efficiently.
Testamentary Trusts
Establishing trusts within your will under the Trust Property Control Act 57 of 1988 to protect minor children, dependants with special needs, or beneficiaries who are not yet ready to manage an inheritance.
Intestate & Disputed Estates
Guiding families where there is no valid will, applying the Intestate Succession Act 81 of 1987, and advising on estates where the validity of a will, or the conduct of an executor, is in dispute.
How an Estate Is Wound Up
The administration of a deceased estate follows a defined, court-supervised path. We manage each stage on the family's behalf.
Report the Estate
The estate is reported to the Master of the High Court within 14 days of death, with the death notice, the original will, and the prescribed documents lodged to open the file.
Letters of Executorship
The Master appoints the executor and issues Letters of Executorship (or, for smaller estates under R250,000, a letter of authority), giving the authority to deal with the estate’s assets.
Liquidation & Distribution Account
We collect the assets, settle debts and taxes, and draw the liquidation and distribution account, which is lodged with the Master and advertised for public inspection.
Distribution to Heirs
Once the account lies open without objection and is approved, the assets are transferred and distributed to the heirs and the estate is finalised with the Master.
Why Jonker Vorster
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Care, not a conveyor belt
Estates are personal. You deal directly with an attorney who takes the time to understand your family, your assets, and your wishes, not a form filled in at a counter.
Drafting and administration under one roof
We draft the will and, when the time comes, administer the estate it governs. That continuity means your intentions are understood and carried out by people who know the file.
A steady hand for the family
Winding up an estate is daunting in a time of grief. We deal with the Master of the High Court, SARS, banks, and creditors so your family can focus on what matters.
Connected to your estate.
Estates touch property, business, and, occasionally, the courts. Our wider practice supports every part of getting it right.
Wills & Estates FAQs
If you die without a valid will, your estate is distributed according to the Intestate Succession Act 81 of 1987, a fixed legal formula that divides your assets among your spouse and descendants, or other relatives if you have none. This may not reflect your wishes at all, can exclude people you would have wanted to provide for, and frequently causes delay and conflict among family members. A valid will is the only way to ensure your estate goes where you intend.
Under the Wills Act 7 of 1953, a valid will must be in writing, signed by the testator at the end of the document, and signed in the presence of two competent witnesses who are both present at the same time and who also sign the will. The witnesses should not be beneficiaries. Small mistakes in signing or witnessing are one of the most common reasons wills are challenged, which is why it is worth having your will drafted and executed properly.
A straightforward estate is typically finalised within six to twelve months, while larger or more complex estates, those involving disputes, fixed property transfers, or SARS clearances, can take eighteen months to two years or more. Much depends on how quickly the Master, SARS, and financial institutions respond. Having an experienced attorney administer the estate keeps it moving and avoids the delays caused by incomplete or incorrect submissions.
Yes. The Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965 requires that the death of anyone who leaves property or a will be reported to the Master of the High Court within 14 days. The estate is then administered under the Master’s supervision. We attend to the reporting and all subsequent steps on the family’s behalf, so nothing is missed and the correct office is approached.
Estate duty is a tax on the dutiable value of a deceased estate, levied under the Estate Duty Act 45 of 1955. Each estate enjoys an abatement (currently R3.5 million), and property left to a surviving spouse is generally exempt. Duty is charged on the value above the abatement. Sound estate planning during your lifetime can reduce the duty payable and ensure your estate has the cash to settle it without selling assets your family wishes to keep.
Yes. You can nominate our firm as executor in your will, or nominate a family member whom we then assist as agent for the executor. Acting as executor involves significant responsibility and a detailed legal process, and many people prefer to appoint attorneys so the burden does not fall on a grieving spouse or child. We are happy to discuss the role and the executor’s fee when we draft your will.
Protect Your Wishes and Your Family
Whether you need to draft a will, plan your estate, or wind up the estate of a loved one, our team is here to help with care and clarity. Contact us to arrange a consultation.