Deceased Estate Administration Attorneys

When to hire a deceased estate administration attorney

• A family member has died and the estate needs to be reported.
• You were appointed executor and need an agent to handle administration.
• The estate is large (over R250,000), complex, or spans multiple jurisdictions.
• There is a business, trust, or offshore asset in the estate.
• Heirs are disputing and you need neutral administration.

What to expect

The attorney reports the estate to the Master, obtains Letters of Executorship (or Letters of Authority for small estates under R250,000), advertises for creditors in the Gazette and a local newspaper, collects assets, pays debts, submits a Liquidation and Distribution Account, publishes the L&D Account for 21 days of inspection, and distributes to heirs. The Master signs off at the end.

Typical fees

Executor's fee is statutory: 3.5% of gross asset value + 6% of income collected during administration + VAT. Agent fees (when an attorney administers on behalf of a family member executor) are typically negotiable as a portion of the statutory fee.

Frequently Asked Questions