Estate planning essentially involves structuring your personal financial affairs in such a way that, upon your death: - estate duty ("death taxes") are minimized
- there is sufficient liquidity to meet the estate's financial obligations
- inheritances are sufficiently protected for your heirs
A common misconception about estate planning is that it revolves solely around life assurance policies. This is incorrect as, although life policies are often taken into account, comprehensive planning involves the structuring of wills, trusts and donations. Issues such as marital contracts, CGT and income tax all need to be taken into account. A few hours of professional planning can often reduce your future estate duty burden by hundreds of thousands of Rands.
Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes - Benjamin Franklin
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