Advocate Sankie Morata CFP®, CEO of Sanlam Trust

The Sanlam Legacy 2026 Survey on South Africans and Wills – released today, at the start of Wills Month – has found that only 28% of respondents have a will that is signed, witnessed and safely stored. Sixty-five percent don’t have a will at all, unchanged from the 2025 survey (66%). Worryingly, among those who do have a will, 39% have not told the person most likely to wind up their estate where the document is and what it contains.

The findings suggest the issue is not simply a lack of awareness. Despite 77% of respondents saying they feel at least somewhat confident in their knowledge of wills and estate administration, with 51% at the confident-to-very-confident end of the scale, far fewer have completed the steps required for a valid, accessible will.”

Advocate Sankie Morata CFP®, CEO of Sanlam Trust, says many South Africans are supporting ageing parents, grandparents and extended family members, while almost half of our survey respondents (47%) have first-hand experience of helping to wind up a loved one’s estate. “Yet we are still finding an alarming number don’t have a will, or at least a valid and locatable will. Ultimately, drawing up a will and dedicating time to proper estate planning – no matter how big or small the estate – is about the people you love, not the paperwork. It protects what you have built, provides clarity for your loved ones and creates a stronger foundation for future generations.”

This is the third year that Sanlam Legacy has released this study and the findings continue to be cause for alarm.

Key findings from the 2026 Sanlam Legacy Wills Survey

• Just 28% of respondents have a will that is signed, witnessed and safely stored.
• 39% of those with wills have not shared the location and contents of their wills with the person most likely to act as their executor.
• 47% have helped wind up a loved one’s estate, but only 22% describe the experience as smooth.
• 34% support ageing parents, grandparents or extended family.
• 71% of those supporting ageing parents, grandparents or extended family say they do so willingly, because those relatives have done a great deal for them.
• 41% of people with a will say a death in the family prompted them to draw up their will.
• 57% of those with wills say one or both parents had a will, compared with 22% of respondents without a will.
• 44% of respondents without a will say they do not own enough to justify having one.

The survey paints a picture of a deeply connected nation, where only a small minority live alone with no dependants, and a third support family well beyond their own children.

So, if there’s one message in this year’s survey, it’s that South Africans do not lack care; we lack the plans to match it. The intention is clearly there. What’s missing, too often, is the plan that turns that care into protection.

Families often discover the gaps too late

Nearly half of respondents (47%) have helped wind up a loved one’s estate. Yet only 22% of them describe the process as smooth. The most common challenges were arguments among relatives over inheritances (26%), delays in finalising and transferring assets (23%), legal and administrative costs (18%), and frozen accounts (12%).

The consequences can extend well beyond a surviving spouse or child. More than a third of respondents support ageing parents, grandparents or extended family members, suggesting that when one person dies unexpectedly, the impact can be felt across multiple generations and households.

Morata says many South Africans underestimate how much control they relinquish when they don’t put clear plans in place. “A will is one of the few opportunities people have to make their wishes clear and decide who should be responsible for carrying them out. Without that guidance, loved ones can find themselves navigating a legal process while grieving, or important decisions being made according to legislation rather than personal wishes. The smoother estates are usually those where key decisions have been made in advance, affairs have been kept up to date, and family members know where to find the information they need.”

A death in the family remains the biggest trigger

Among respondents who have wills, a death in the family was the most common motivation for drawing up a will, cited by 41%. This was followed by having a child (32%), receiving financial advice (27%) and marriage or a long-term partnership (25%).

The findings suggest that many people only act when estate planning becomes personal and immediate. Notably, receiving financial advice was the only professional intervention among the top triggers identified, highlighting the role advisers can play in prompting action before a family is confronted by a crisis.

Estate planning appears to run in families

Among respondents with wills, 57% say one or both parents had one. Among respondents without wills, this number was only 22%. This suggests that estate planning could be a learned behaviour. For some families, drafting a will is normalised. For others, one person may become the first to formalise a plan, setting a new example for their children and future generations.

Dr Mavis Mazhura, independent leadership psychologist and adult development specialist, says behaviour is often shaped by what people see growing up. “People may have heard enough about wills to feel informed, while still missing the steps or the urgency. Awareness creates confidence, but a clear, immediate and emotionally manageable process is what turns confidence into action.”

Many still believe only the wealthy need a will 

Among respondents without wills, 44% say they do not own enough to justify having one. A further 34% say they intend to act but have not found the time, while 16% do not know the step-by-step process.

The findings suggest the barrier is often perception rather than ownership. While many respondents believe they do not own enough to warrant having a will, 76% own at least one listed asset, including savings, vehicles, property or retirement funds. Shifting that perception is exactly what Sanlam Legacy’s “The Most Important Talk You Never Have” campaign aims to do, normalising conversations around estate planning and what happens after death, as well as encouraging families to talk openly, and early, rather than leaving those decisions to chance.

At its heart, the survey is not about wills. It is about how South Africans care for one another, how families build security over time, and what happens when those plans are left to chance. The findings suggest that some of the most important decisions people make for their families may be the ones that only take effect after they are gone.

ENDS