Draw up your Will
Take care of your family, especially children and other dependents, by putting your last wishes in a Will.
Draw up your Will
Take care of your family, especially children and other dependents, by putting your last wishes in a Will.
OVERVIEW
Your Will takes care of your loved ones
At Metropolitan we understand how important it is to protect your family when you are no longer around. That's why we offer an easy and secure way to set up your Will.
What is a Will?
A Will is a legal and binding expression of your last wishes. By setting up a Will you can decide what must happen to your belongings and assets after your death; and protect your loved ones when you’re no longer there. It’s a way to ensure that your requests are respected.
Why is a Will important?
Your Will is an important document that must be reviewed annually or after major life events such as marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child.
Without a Will, the process to wind-up an Estate can be complicated as your bank accounts and assets will be frozen until your Estate is finalised. When drawing up your Will, you can name someone you trust as your Executor. This person will be responsible for carrying out your wishes as you intended and handle the legal process.
Why you should have a Will
Knowing your family is taken care of
If you have children who are minors or other dependents like elderly parents, a Will allows you to select a guardian to take care of them. This is especially important if both parents pass away and are no longer there to take care of them.
Property and assets
A Will is a fundamental part of your Estate Plan. It ensures that your assets, including everything you own such as money, property or vehicles and personal belongings like jewellery, are distributed according to your wishes and reduces the possibility of any disputes or confusion.
Avoid delays in winding up your Estate
Roughly 70% of people who die in South Africa don’t have a Will. This can cause unnecessary delays when winding up an Estate. Without a Will, the court will appoint an Executor to manage your Estate. Your bank accounts and assets will be frozen until this is finalised, which could leave your loved ones under financial stress.
LET’S GET STARTED
How to set up a Will
Registration
Create your online profile to get your free Will.
You can access or update your Will at any time by logging in with your ID and cellphone number.
Draft your Will
Once you’ve registered, you’ll be redirected to a secure space to start drafting your Will – at your own time and pace.
Print & sign
After you’ve completed your Will, you should print, sign and store it as per the instructions shared when you registered.
It’s vital to sign a Will correctly to ensure it’s a legally binding document, so make sure you follow the instructions under “READ THE GUIDE TO YOUR WILL” carefully.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Everything you need to know about creating a Will
Do I need a Will if I don’t own a house or a car?
You might think you don’t own anything and therefore don’t need a Will, right? Well, here are a few things you need to consider:
Firstly, you might own more than you think. Have you thought of your bank accounts, money due to you by your employer, your retirement savings, or even the furniture you own?
Secondly, many people think Wills are simply about giving your “stuff” away when you die. If you have young children, it’s important to consider who will care for them if something happens to you.
Lastly, whether you own a lot or very little, someone must take on the responsibility to settle your final affairs after you pass away, including paying your last bills, taking care of outstanding expenses and distributing your remaining money and assets. Without a Will, the court will appoint someone to handle these things. A Metropolitan Will provides you with a trusted Executor to assist your family to finalise your Estate.
I don’t have any dependents; do I still need a Will?
If you don’t have any dependents or close family, it’s still essential to draft a Will. Your Will allows you to explore other options regarding who benefits from your Estate, for example, a charity you support or a cause you are passionate about. If you don’t state these as beneficiaries in your Will, your assets will be distributed according to the law and not necessarily to your wishes.
How old do you have to be to have a Will?
You must be 16 years of age or older; and you must be mentally capable of understanding the consequences of your actions at the time that the Will is drafted.
How often can I update my Will?
It’s best to update your Will whenever your personal circumstances change to ensure that your Will is always up to date and relevant. Examples of important changes in circumstances includes getting married, getting divorced, having children, moving to a new home, losing loved ones, acquiring or losing assets.
As a Metropolitan client, we offer you unlimited, free online access to view and update your Metropolitan Will.
What happens if I don’t have a Will?
Firstly, without a Will your assets will be assigned according to the law and not to your wishes.
Secondly, there is a backlog of Estates being assigned to Executors by the Master of the Court due to so few people having Wills in South Africa. This delay results in Estates lying untouched for many months until an Executor is identified and assigned by the State. As a result, bank accounts and assets are frozen until the Estate is finalised not allowing access to much needed funds for the remaining family members.
