﻿{"id":1523,"date":"2025-04-20T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-20T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.legalwills.ca\/blog\/?p=1523"},"modified":"2026-03-16T06:02:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T04:02:32","slug":"why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2025\/04\/20\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I Haven&#8217;t Written My Last Will and Testament &#8211; A Confession"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"font-size:14px;color:#555;\"><em>Originally published: 13 March 2015 &nbsp;|&nbsp; Last updated: 20 April 2025<\/em><\/p>\n<section style=\"background:#f0f7fb;border-left:4px solid #2980b9;padding:20px 24px;margin-bottom:32px;border-radius:4px;\">\n<strong>TL;DR:<\/strong> Procrastination is the number one reason South Africans don&#8217;t have a Will. Common excuses include &#8220;I don&#8217;t have time,&#8221; &#8220;I have nothing to leave,&#8221; and &#8220;I&#8217;m too young.&#8221; None of these hold up. Over 65% of South African adults lack a valid Will. Creating one online takes under 20 minutes at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\">LegalWills.co.za<\/a>.<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<article>\n<main><\/p>\n<p>Procrastination is the primary reason most South Africans do not have a Last Will and Testament. Despite knowing a Will is important, people delay\u2014often until it is too late. This article examines the real barriers to Will-writing and explains why none of them justify leaving your family unprotected.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1528\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2025\/04\/20\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\/procrastination\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/procrastination.jpg?fit=224%2C224&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"224,224\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"procrastination\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/procrastination.jpg?fit=224%2C224&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1528\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/procrastination.jpg?resize=224%2C224&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Procrastination as barrier to writing a Will in South Africa\" width=\"224\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/procrastination.jpg?w=224&amp;ssl=1 224w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/procrastination.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 224px) 100vw, 224px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Why Do People Procrastinate on Writing a Will?<\/h2>\n<h3>1. &#8220;I Don&#8217;t Have Time&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>This is the most common excuse. In reality, creating a Will online at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LegalWills.co.za<\/a> takes under 20 minutes. You can do it from your phone or computer at any time\u2014no lawyer appointments, no travel, no waiting rooms.<\/p>\n<h3>2. &#8220;Nothing Bad Will Happen to Me&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>Life is unpredictable. Accidents, illness, and unexpected events can happen at any age. Without a Will, your family faces the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2024\/02\/15\/dying-without-a-will\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">intestate succession process<\/a>\u2014which is lengthy, costly, and may not reflect your wishes.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1525\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2025\/04\/20\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\/natalia_fotor\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Natalia_Fotor.jpg?fit=958%2C1280&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"958,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D7100&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1423923651&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;52&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1600&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.016666666666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Natalia_Fotor\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;My one year old&amp;#8230;.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Natalia_Fotor.jpg?fit=646%2C864&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-1525\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Natalia_Fotor.jpg?resize=299%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Personal story about writing a Will\" width=\"299\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Natalia_Fotor.jpg?resize=766%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 766w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Natalia_Fotor.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Natalia_Fotor.jpg?resize=768%2C1026&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Natalia_Fotor.jpg?resize=748%2C999&amp;ssl=1 748w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Natalia_Fotor.jpg?w=958&amp;ssl=1 958w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 299px) 100vw, 299px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>3. &#8220;I Have Nothing to Leave&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>A Will is not only about distributing wealth. It appoints <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2016\/09\/21\/guardians-for-your-children-south-africa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">guardians for minor children<\/a>, names a trusted <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2016\/08\/15\/your-executor-the-most-important-appointment-in-your-last-will-and-testament\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">executor<\/a>, and records your wishes about funeral arrangements and digital assets. Even modest estates benefit from a Will.<\/p>\n<h3>4. &#8220;I&#8217;m Too Young for a Will&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>In South Africa, anyone aged 16 or older can make a valid Will. If you have any dependants, own any property, or have specific wishes about what happens after your death, you need a Will\u2014regardless of your age.<\/p>\n<h3>5. &#8220;It&#8217;s Too Expensive&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>Online Will services have made estate planning affordable for all South Africans. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/Pricing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">cost at LegalWills.co.za<\/a> is a fraction of what traditional lawyers charge. The cost of not having a Will\u2014legal fees, family disputes, and delays\u2014far exceeds the cost of creating one.<\/p>\n<h3>6. &#8220;It&#8217;s Too Complicated&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>Modern online Will platforms use plain-language questions to guide you through every decision. No legal knowledge is required. The system generates a complete, legally valid document based on your answers.<\/p>\n<h2>What Are the Real Consequences of Not Having a Will?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Your estate is distributed by law, not by your wishes<\/li>\n<li>The court appoints an executor\u2014possibly a stranger<\/li>\n<li>No guardians are appointed for your children<\/li>\n<li>Common-law partners inherit nothing<\/li>\n<li>Friends and charities receive nothing<\/li>\n<li>The process takes significantly longer and costs more<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1530\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2025\/04\/20\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\/getting-things-over-and-done-with-is-probably-one-of-the-best-feelings-yet\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Getting-things-over-and-done-with-is-probably-one-of-the-best-feelings-yet.jpg?fit=600%2C900&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"600,900\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Getting-things-over-and-done-with-is-probably-one-of-the-best-feelings-yet\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Getting-things-over-and-done-with-is-probably-one-of-the-best-feelings-yet.jpg?fit=600%2C900&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1530 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Getting-things-over-and-done-with-is-probably-one-of-the-best-feelings-yet.jpg?resize=200%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Getting your Will done brings peace of mind\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Getting-things-over-and-done-with-is-probably-one-of-the-best-feelings-yet.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Getting-things-over-and-done-with-is-probably-one-of-the-best-feelings-yet.jpg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>How to Overcome Will-Writing Procrastination<\/h2>\n<p>The solution is simple: set aside 20 minutes and do it now. Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LegalWills.co.za<\/a>, answer the guided questions, and print your completed Will. Then have it signed and witnessed. The peace of mind is immediate and lasting.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What percentage of South Africans have a Will?<\/h3>\n<p>Less than 35% of South African adults have a valid, up-to-date Will. Over 65% die without one.<\/p>\n<h3>How quickly can I create a Will online?<\/h3>\n<p>Most people complete their Will in under 20 minutes using LegalWills.co.za.<\/p>\n<p><\/main><br \/>\n<\/article>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"Article\",\"headline\":\"Why People Procrastinate on Writing a Will in South Africa\",\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Tim Hewson\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"LegalWills.co.za\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\"},\"datePublished\":\"2015-03-13\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-20\"}<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What percentage of South Africans have a Will?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Less than 35% of South African adults have a valid, up-to-date Will.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How quickly can I create a Will online in South Africa?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Most people complete their Will in under 20 minutes using LegalWills.co.za.\"}}]}<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Originally published: 13 March 2015 &nbsp;|&nbsp; Last updated: 20 April 2025 TL;DR: Procrastination is the number one reason South Africans don&#8217;t have a Will. Common excuses include &#8220;I don&#8217;t have time,&#8221; &#8220;I have nothing to leave,&#8221; and &#8220;I&#8217;m too young.&#8221; None of these hold up. Over 65% of South African adults lack a valid Will. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":true},"categories":[4],"tags":[25,22,8,45,15],"class_list":["post-1523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-cost","tag-guardians","tag-intestate","tag-updating","tag-wills"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\r\n<title>Why I haven&#039;t written my legal Will: and why you should.<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As one of the founders of LegalWills.ca I spend my days telling people to prepare their legal Will. But even I hadn&#039;t updated my legal Will. There are barriers with the traditional approach to Will writing - primarily, cost and convenience. But even with our service, it still may not get to the top of the ToDo list.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1523\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why I haven&#039;t written my legal Will: and why you should.\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As one of the founders of LegalWills.ca I spend my days telling people to prepare their legal Will. But even I hadn&#039;t updated my legal Will. There are barriers with the traditional approach to Will writing - primarily, cost and convenience. But even with our service, it still may not get to the top of the ToDo list.\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2025\/04\/20\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The S.A. LegalWills Blog\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/legalwills\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-20T10:00:00+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-16T04:02:32+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/procrastination.jpg\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tim Hewson\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@tim_hewson\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@LegalWills\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Tim Hewson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/20\\\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/20\\\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Tim Hewson\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/994affb8458ecb9584144d4d4cb1d82b\"},\"headline\":\"Why I Haven&#8217;t Written My Last Will and Testament &#8211; A Confession\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-20T10:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-16T04:02:32+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/20\\\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":528,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/20\\\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2015\\\/03\\\/procrastination.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"cost\",\"guardians\",\"intestate\",\"updating\",\"wills\"],\"articleSection\":[\"General\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/20\\\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/20\\\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\\\/\",\"name\":\"Why I haven't written my legal Will: and why you should.\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/20\\\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/04\\\/20\\\/why-i-havent-written-my-legal-will\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.legalwills.co.za\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2015\\\/03\\\/procrastination.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-20T10:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-16T04:02:32+00:00\",\"description\":\"As one of the founders of LegalWills.ca I spend my days telling people to prepare their legal Will. 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