Capital Legacy survey finds most South Africans unprepared for challenges following a family death

Most of us believe our affairs are reasonably well organised. But new research suggests many South Africans are far less prepared for the realities of death than they realise.

The reality families face after a loss

The recently published Capital Legacy Estate Readiness Index™ surveyed 1,000 South Africans who had lost a loved one in the last five years. The findings reveal their real-life financial, emotional and administrative challenges after a death in the family. More than half felt financial pressure. Among them, 66% encountered a cash shortage within three months, 60% experienced emotional strain that affected their daily lives, and 42% reported family conflict during the administration of the estate.

Find out where you stand

In response to these findings, Capital Legacy has launched the Estate Readiness Check, a free online survey that takes only minutes to complete.

It gives you a quick idea of where things stand, what’s in place, what may be missing, and what you can do to better protect the people you love. It looks at key parts of your estate plan like having a will, it does a general assessment of how complex your estate is, and it identifies aspects that may need attention.

“The idea is not to do an in-depth analysis, but to highlight factors that could create complications or costs for your family after you pass away. Most people don’t realise how unprepared they are until it’s too late, so we want to empower you to do something about it,” says Craig Harding, CEO of Capital Legacy.

Fix what you can while you’re alive

It’s National Wills Week and Capital Legacy is encouraging South Africans to take the two-minute Estate Readiness Check online survey. The message is simple: Check where you stand, and fix what you can while you’re alive to reduce the burden on the people you leave behind.

“A will is often the first step, but it is not the only one,” says Harding. “Many people discover there are other areas that require attention, such as making sure there’s enough liquidity in the estate, nominating guardians for minor children, appointing an executor, and covering estate administration costs. You don’t need to be an estate planning expert. You simply need to know where you stand and what needs to happen next.”

Better planning, less impact on your family

The research behind the Capital Legacy Estate Readiness Index™ revealed that much of the stress, uncertainty and conflict families experience after someone dies can be reduced through better planning. The Estate Readiness Check online survey is the next step to helping South Africans understand their level of readiness and empowering them to take proactive steps to better protect their families.

Find out how prepared you really are and what you can do to improve your estate readiness.

Take the free two-minute Estate Readiness Check.