A will is only the beginning - Why trusted data matters when estates are administered

Cape Town, South Africa – 1 September 2026 - As National Wills Week 2026 highlights the importance of having a valid will, the legal profession is also reminded of what happens after the document is signed. Administering an estate depends on finding the right people, assets and information, and that requires trusted data.

National Wills Week and the importance of a valid will

From 14 to 18 September 2026, National Wills Week will once again encourage South Africans to take a practical step towards planning for the future. During the initiative, participating attorneys offer members of the public the opportunity to have a basic will drafted free of charge. The initiative is an important reminder that without a will, an estate may be distributed according to the rules of intestate succession, potentially creating delays, additional costs and family disputes.

But while having a will is an important first step, it is only one part of the estate administration process. Once someone has died, attorneys, executors and other professionals may need to establish exactly who the relevant parties are, locate beneficiaries, identify assets and verify information before an estate can be properly administered. This is where the quality of the underlying data matters.

“Having a will gives families a clear starting point, but the administration of an estate still depends on being able to establish the facts,” says Chantelle Frier, National Sales Manager at SW360. “People move, change their surnames, acquire property, establish trusts and have financial relationships that may not be immediately visible. If the information being relied on is outdated or incomplete, finding the right people or establishing the full picture can become significantly more difficult.”

For legal professionals, this can turn a relatively straightforward instruction into an investigation. Beneficiaries may be difficult to locate, addresses may no longer be current, and assets or relationships may require additional verification. The same applies to the assets themselves. Property ownership, trusts and other interests may need to be established and verified before an executor can determine the full picture of an estate. In these circumstances, relying on a single source or an old record can leave gaps in the information available to the professional handling the estate.

Why trusted data matters in estate administration

The challenge is that no single record necessarily provides the complete picture. Information about an individual, their property, business interests, trusts and relationships can exist across different sources, and those records may not always tell the same story or be updated at the same time.

“Trusted data is about more than having access to information; it is about having confidence in the information you are using to make decisions,” says Frier. “For attorneys and other professionals dealing with estates, that confidence can make a meaningful difference when they are trying to establish relationships, trace individuals, identify assets or verify details.”

This highlights an important distinction around estate planning: a will records someone's wishes, but trusted data helps turn those wishes into an estate that can be properly administered.

National Wills Week is an important reminder of the value of putting a valid will in place, while also highlighting what happens when that will needs to be administered. For individuals, it is about ensuring their wishes are recorded, and for professionals, it is about having the reliable data and tools needed to carry those wishes out. Ends.

About SW360

SW360 is South Africa’s leading data intelligence platform, empowering businesses to verify, assess, and manage risk confidence. At the core of its offering are two powerful products – Searchworks and VOCA, each playing a key role in delivering real-time, verified data across industries. Find out more at www.sw360.co.za.

About Searchworks

Searchworks prides itself on its exceptional reputation and being a leader in the data industry. Partnering with only the very best service providers and utilising cloud technology, Searchworks provides the highest quality and reliability, aimed at reducing downtime for professionals in industries such as finance, law, and real estate, Searchworks empowers users to perform thorough due diligence, mitigate risks, and make informed decisions. By streamlining the process of gathering critical information, Searchworks supports businesses in maintaining compliance, enhancing security, and improving operational efficiency. Find out more at: https://www.searchworks.co.za/

For further information

Monica van der Spuy | GinjaNinja | M: +27 71 685 6476 | E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.