During September, National Wills Week encouraged South Africans to think about something many of us prefer to put off: making sure our wishes are known and the people we care about are provided for.
But making or updating a will should not be limited to one week of the year.
It starts with a piece of paper.
A will is more than a document. It is a plan for the people and things that matter to you and a way of making your wishes clear for the future.
A will can help to make your wishes known, protect the people you care about, reduce uncertainty for your family and provide direction for how your estate should be distributed after you are gone.
And perhaps most importantly, you do not have to wait until you feel as though you have “enough” to leave behind.
A home. Savings. An investment. A vehicle. Personal belongings. Or simply the desire to make sure that the people you love are protected.
Planning matters. What can one piece of paper make possible?
Your family and loved ones should remain at the heart of your planning.
Once you have made provision for the people closest to you, however, you may also choose to let part of your legacy continue doing something meaningful for others.
This is where a bequest can become part of your will.
A bequest is a gift that you choose to leave to a person or organisation in your will. It could take the form of a percentage of your estate, a specific amount of money or a particular asset.
Leaving a bequest does not mean leaving your family behind. Your loved ones remain your priority.
But if your circumstances allow, a bequest can help your care and compassion reach further, even into a future you may never see.
What if your legacy could keep caring?
Through Badisa, a legacy gift can contribute towards social services that support vulnerable individuals, families and communities.
It can help create possibilities such as:
• a safe and loving home for a child
• support for children and families
• care and dignity for an older person
• a chance for someone to rebuild their life
• protection and hope for a child who needs to feel safe
• stronger communities for generations to come.
One piece of paper can carry a story much further than we sometimes imagine.
Your story does not have to end with you. Your legacy can keep caring.
So, where do you start?
You do not need to have everything figured out before taking the first step.
Speak to an attorney about drafting a will if you do not yet have one, or review your existing will to make sure that it still reflects your circumstances and wishes.
You will also need to consider who you would like to nominate as executor, the person responsible for administering your estate.
If you already have a will and would like to make certain changes or additions, a codicil may be an option. A codicil is a legal document used to amend an existing will without replacing it entirely. Badisa’s codicil document can serve as a starting point for a conversation with your attorney.
And if you are considering including Badisa in your legacy, you can speak to us about the possibilities.
From paper to possibilities
During Wills Week, we started with the paper.
We explored what a will means, what a bequest can look like and how one person’s legacy can continue creating care, dignity, protection and hope.
But Wills Week may be over. The opportunity to start planning is not.
Some journeys start long before us, and the most meaningful ones continue long after we go.
To start a conversation with Badisa:
📞 021 957 7130
✉️ reception@badisa.org.za
📄 Badisa Codicil: Click here
What possibility would you like to leave behind?
Estate planning can have legal and financial consequences. We recommend discussing your will, any amendments and any intended bequests with an appropriately qualified professional.
