﻿{"id":2933,"date":"2025-12-04T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.ca\/blog\/?p=2933"},"modified":"2026-04-03T03:00:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T01:00:26","slug":"will-writing-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2025\/12\/04\/will-writing-myths\/","title":{"rendered":"Busting Will Writing Myths"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"font-size:14px;color:#555;\">Originally published: 22 August 2021 &nbsp;|&nbsp; Last updated: 4 December 2025<\/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> Common Will-writing myths include: you need a lawyer (false), only rich people need Wills (false), verbal wishes are enough (false), and Wills are permanent (false. You should update regularly). A valid Will requires compliance with the Wills Act, not a lawyer. Create yours at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\">LegalWills.co.za<\/a>.<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<article><main><\/p>\n<p>TL;DR: Common Will-writing myths include: you need a lawyer (false), only rich people need Wills (false), verbal wishes are enough (false), and Wills are permanent (false. You should update regularly). A valid Will requires compliance with the Wills Act, not a lawyer. Create yours at LegalWills.co.za.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"324\" data-attachment-id=\"2969\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2025\/12\/04\/will-writing-myths\/napkin-will\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Napkin-Will.jpeg?fit=889%2C446&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"889,446\" 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=\"Napkin-Will\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Napkin-Will.jpeg?fit=646%2C324&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Napkin-Will.jpeg?resize=646%2C324&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2969\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Napkin-Will.jpeg?w=889&amp;ssl=1 889w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Napkin-Will.jpeg?resize=300%2C151&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Napkin-Will.jpeg?resize=768%2C385&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Napkin-Will.jpeg?resize=770%2C386&amp;ssl=1 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 646px) 100vw, 646px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Common Will-Writing Myths Debunked<\/h2>\n<h3>Myth: You Need a Lawyer to Make a Will<\/h3>\n<p>South Africans face obstacles when creating their essential Will documents because of various myths which people believe about Will-writing. The article shows proof which refutes the different myths which block people from creating family protection strategies.<\/p>\n<h3>Myth: Only Rich People Need Wills<\/h3>\n<p>False. The Wills Act 7 of 1953 does not require a lawyer. Any person aged 16+ can create a valid Will.<\/p>\n<h3>Myth: Verbal Wishes Are Legally Binding<\/h3>\n<p>False. A Will appoints guardians, chooses executors, and expresses wishes. Regardless of wealth.<\/p>\n<h3>Myth: A Will Is Permanent Once Signed<\/h3>\n<p>False. Only written, signed, and witnessed Wills are enforceable in South Africa.<\/p>\n<h3>Myth: Digital Assets Don&#8217;t Matter<\/h3>\n<p>False. You should update your Will every 1\u20132 years and after major life events.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>Do I need a lawyer for my Will in South Africa?<\/h3>\n<p>False. Digital assets have real value and need to be included in your estate plan.<\/p>\n<p><\/main><\/article>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"Article\",\"headline\":\"Will-Writing Myths in South Africa: Debunked\",\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Tim Hewson\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"LegalWills.co.za\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-08-22\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-07\"}<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Originally published: 22 August 2021 &nbsp;|&nbsp; Last updated: 4 December 2025 TL;DR: Common Will-writing myths include: you need a lawyer (false), only rich people need Wills (false), verbal wishes are enough (false), and Wills are permanent (false. You should update regularly). A valid Will requires compliance with the Wills Act, not a lawyer. Create yours [&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":[40,52,26,15],"class_list":["post-2933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-digital-assets-2","tag-holographic-wills","tag-myths","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>Busting Will Writing Myths - The S.A. 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He has over 20 years of experience helping people to write their Will and other estate planning documents. He has been interviewed by many of the major news media outlets and has contributed to articles in most leading publications. He has also contributed to a number of financial planning books. Throughout his career, Tim has written extensively on the subject of Will writing and estate planning.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/timhewson","https:\/\/x.com\/tim_hewson"],"url":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/author\/timhewson\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1427,"url":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2025\/03\/23\/ten-myths-south-african-last-will-and-testament\/","url_meta":{"origin":2933,"position":0},"title":"Busting Myths About a South African Last Will and Testament","author":"Tim Hewson","date":"23 March 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Originally published: 14 October 2014 \u00a0|\u00a0 Last updated: 23 March 2025 TL;DR: Many South Africans hold incorrect beliefs about Wills that prevent them from proper estate planning. Common myths include: Wills covering healthcare decisions (they don't\u2014you need a Living Will), the government getting everything if you die without a Will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Canadian Last Will and Testament","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/64508636_m.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/64508636_m.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/64508636_m.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/64508636_m.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3220,"url":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2026\/01\/08\/modern-wills\/","url_meta":{"origin":2933,"position":1},"title":"A Guide to Modern Wills: Digital, Electronic, and Online Wills in South Africa","author":"Tim Hewson","date":"8 January 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The original publication date for this document was 11 February 2022 and the last update occurred on 11 January 2026. TL;DR: In South Africa, \"online Wills\" are drafted digitally but must be printed, signed, and witnessed to be valid. Purely electronic or digital Wills (stored only online) are not yet\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Wills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Wills","link":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/category\/wills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Digital-assets.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Digital-assets.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Digital-assets.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Digital-assets.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1408,"url":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2026\/04\/02\/six-good-reasons-prepare-online-will\/","url_meta":{"origin":2933,"position":2},"title":"Six Reasons to Make Your Last Will and Testament Online in South Africa","author":"Tim Hewson","date":"2 April 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Originally published: 2 October 2014 \u00a0|\u00a0 Last updated: 2 April 2026 TL;DR: Creating a Will online in South Africa is legal, affordable, and takes under 20 minutes. An \"online Will\" is a digitally drafted document that must still be printed, signed, and witnessed to be legally valid. Services like LegalWills.co.za\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Couple creating a Will online in South Africa using LegalWills.co.za","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/artspace-ai-1735337707538-300x300.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2275,"url":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2025\/09\/18\/making-a-will-in-canada\/","url_meta":{"origin":2933,"position":3},"title":"Making a Will in South Africa: Your 2024 Guide","author":"Tim Hewson","date":"18 September 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Originally published: 11 May 2018 \u00a0|\u00a0 Last updated: 18 September 2025 TL;DR: Making a Will in South Africa requires compliance with the Wills Act 7 of 1953: you must be 16+, the Will must be in writing, signed on every page, and witnessed by two competent witnesses. Key decisions include\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Wills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Wills","link":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/category\/wills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"making a will","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/39940676_l-copy-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/39940676_l-copy-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/39940676_l-copy-1024x683.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3313,"url":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2026\/01\/29\/the-holographic-will\/","url_meta":{"origin":2933,"position":4},"title":"Handwritten (Holographic) Will in South Africa: What They Are and When to Use One","author":"Tim Hewson","date":"29 January 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Originally published: 18 May 2022 \u00a0|\u00a0 Last updated: 29 January 2026 TL;DR: A handwritten (holographic) Will is legally valid in South Africa if it meets all requirements of the Wills Act 7 of 1953. Including proper signing and witnessing by two competent witnesses. South Africa does not have special rules\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Wills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Wills","link":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/category\/wills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Designer.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Designer.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Designer.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Designer.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1439,"url":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/2025\/03\/30\/lawyers-egregious-charges\/","url_meta":{"origin":2933,"position":5},"title":"Last Will and Testament: Avoiding Outrageous Lawyers&#8217; Fees &#8211; A South African View","author":"Tim Hewson","date":"30 March 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Originally published: 28 October 2014 \u00a0|\u00a0 Last updated: 30 March 2025 TL;DR: South African lawyers' fees for drafting a Will typically range from R1,500 to R5,000+, but many South Africans overpay due to opaque billing practices. The Attorneys Act 53 of 1979 and the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"lawyers","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/83501061_m.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/83501061_m.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/83501061_m.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pf2wKL-Lj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2933"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2933\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4077,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2933\/revisions\/4077"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalwills.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}