South Africans getting worse at making a will, survey shows

Two-thirds of South Africans don’t have wills.

The 2025 Sanlam Legacy Wills Survey shows will-drafting has fallen to just 34% of the adult population, down from 39% last year.

When it comes to drafting wills, we are slipping backwards – a troubling reality in a country where estates can take years to wind up, leaving families with heavy emotional and financial burdens.

What will motivate more people to draft their documents? The results of the survey suggest that big life moments, such as births and deaths, move us to action, alongside reliable advice and affordable access.

Advocate Sankie Morata CFP, chief executive of Sanlam Fiduciary Services, says: “Our latest survey results show that lived experiences – the loss of a loved one, becoming a parent, or seeing the consequences of dying intestate (without a will) – are what move people to act. But South Africans are also asking for practical enablers: free or low-cost services, step-by-step guidance, and trusted advice. We need to make it as simple and affordable as possible to draft a will to move people from intention to action. Will-drafting is learned behaviour; we just need one generation to break the cycle.”

Key findings

While 70% believe a will is worthwhile even if you have assets valued at less than R50 000, only a third have actually drafted their wills.

Of the 66% who don’t have wills, 43% said they don’t have enough assets, 30% said they’re unemployed and 27% “haven’t found the time”.

Dr Mavis Mazhura, behavioural science specialist, says: “This reasoning is rooted in ‘asset salience bias’ – the belief that ‘I have nothing to pass on’. To overcome this, the question needs to shift from ‘What do I own?’ to ‘Who do I love?’ – making wills about people, not assets.”

Lived experience

The single biggest motivator for drafting a will is witnessing the consequences of someone dying without one, cited by 41% of respondents, followed closely by having a child (38%) and experiencing a death in the family (31%).

In a country where 94% of young people aged 18 to 24 report losing a close family member before turning 21, this finding is striking because it shows that personal loss shapes financial behaviour more than age or income.

Parents, however, remain insufficiently protected. Most make some provision for their children through funeral cover (54%) and life insurance (49%), yet only 33% of the total sample have wills.

Without one, these other measures may not be enough to safeguard children’s futures.David Thomson, senior legal adviser at Sanlam Trust, says: “For single parents, a will is critical. If you pass away, there’s no one else to pick up the slack. Without a will, the surviving biological parent may take control of everything, or if the child is of age, they inherit it all. In South Africa, we already have so many orphans and young people coming of age who suddenly find themselves making difficult choices that should really be reserved for adults.”

Generational exposure also matters. Individuals whose parents or grandparents had wills are far more likely to have one themselves, suggesting that will-drafting is learned behaviour – and a starting point for building legacies of love across generations.

Encouragingly, 84% of South Africans are having the difficult conversations about death. However, 45% have yet to share the contents of their wills with their loved ones.

The 16% who don’t speak about death, cite a significant reason for this reticence as the fear of making family members uncomfortable.

Death doulas (who guide a person transitioning to death and their loved ones through the dying process) and psychiatrists don’t feature much. Instead, people are turning to religious figures, elders or financial advisers.

Morata adds: “This is where financial advisers play such a pivotal role. The relationship they build with clients is not just transactional – it’s relational and one of deep trust. Advisers are the stewards who walk with families across generations, helping them navigate not only financial planning but also the psychology of money and the emotional aspects of decision-making.”

Making it accessible

Encouragingly, South Africans are clear about what would help them act. Respondents said they would be far more likely to draft their wills if the process were simple, affordable, and guided by people they trust.

Free or low-cost services would persuade more than half of those surveyed, while many highlighted the need for clear, step-by-step guidance to navigate the process. Trusted financial advice was also cited as a crucial enabler, reinforcing the vital role of financial advisers as stewards who can turn intention to action. Advisers can also play a big role in housing wills safely, alongside banks and insurers.

By reframing wills as accessible, affordable tools for everyone – not just the wealthy – and by incorporating them into financial conversations and life events, more South Africans can be empowered to take the essential step of drafting their wills.

Amrith Bishoon, executive manager of Sanlam Legacy, says: “We need to close the gap between knowing and doing. South Africans want to protect their loved ones, but they’re held back by misconceptions and inertia. By making will-drafting accessible and affordable, and by offering good guidance, we can help them move beyond good intentions. Legacy starts with financial confidence, and with the right support, every South African can own their legacy.”

PERSONAL FINANCE