Estate planning is essential to ensure that your assets are preserved and transferred to your loved ones according to your wishes. It is also important to take care of the costs involved and to ensure they are being kept to a minimum.

The first and most important aspect of estate planning is to have a valid, executable last will and testament. In your last will and testament you have the opportunity to bequeath your assets, appoint your heirs, choose your executor and designate a guardian for your minor children. Should you die without a valid last will and testament, you effectively forfeited your say in all of the above matters and your estate will be administered according to the provisions of the Intestate Succession Act, which does not represent your wishes and could be costly and messy.

The second aspect of estate planning is to analyze your estate to determine what the costs and taxes of your death would be and to ensure that there is enough liquidity in your estate to fund those costs and taxes. Should there be a cash deficit your executor may be forced to sell some or all of your assets, which is obviously not desirable.

Optima Executors will plan your estate and draft a last will and testament to ensure that:

  • your wishes are fulfilled;
  • your estate has the required liquidity to pay the debts, costs and taxes;
  • you utilize all the tax rebates and abatements; and
  • your assets are preserved for your loved ones.

In order to preserve your assets and avoid unnecessary costs, we will assist you in the creation of trusts, companies or other structures requisite to meet your estate planning needs.