The Law of Succession Amendment Act 43 of 1992 created fundamental changes in South African testamentary law. This book, written by a lawyer with nearly 60 years of practical experience, analyses the Wills Act as amended. It deals among other things with language usage generally, taking instructions from would-be testators, the structure of wills, estate duty, the limits to freedom of testation, the interpretation of wills, donation of human tissues, the so-called living will, traps to avoid in drafting, testamentary trusts and the many other problems which practitioners commonly have to handle. It discusses most of the important cases which have shaped testamentary law and gives many examples of wills and testamentary trusts.

• The Wills Act
• Check list for taking instructions
• A simple will
• The joint (mutual) will
• Massing
• Flexible powers in small trusts
• The limits to freedom of testation
• Some traps to avoid
• The interpretation of wills – the testator’s intention
• The “Living Will”
• Powers of appointment
• Scattered hints

• Students
• Legal practitioners
• Trustees
• Executors
• Administrators of estates
• Financial consultants
• Insurance consultants