What are the advantages of having a will?

If you have a will, you are ensuring that your estate is being distributed to the persons that you want to receive your estate, not in accordance with the default rules set out in legislation. You also have the opportunity to name that person or company that you wish to act as executor of your estate – someone that you trust to make sure that your instructions are carried out according to your wishes. If you die without a will, the court appoints a person to act as administrator of your estate. The cost of administering an estate is usually significantly higher when there is no will. There may be added costs for court applications and dealing with disputes between relatives over certain assets. Having a will can help avoid those costs, and ensure more of your estate will go directly to your beneficiaries.