The results of our 2025 Sanlam Legacy Wills Survey are in and they paint a mixed picture of will-drafting in South Africa.
Sanlam Legacy once again collaborated with the ovatoyou research platform to survey 1,200 South Africans online. Two of the key takeouts of our 2025 Sanlam Legacy Wills Survey show that, when it comes to drafting wills, SA is unfortunately slipping backwards:
66% of South Africans still don’t have wills
Will-drafting has fallen to 34% from 39% in 2024
These mumbers are especially troubling in a country where estates can take years to wind up, even if you have a will. With fewer wills being drafted, more South Africans are running the risk of dying intestate and leaving their families with even greater financial and administrative burdens at the most difficult time in their lives.
What would motivate South Africans to draft their wills?
Responses to our survey highlighted three factors that could spur South Africans to action when it comes to will-drafting:
Big life moments, like having a baby or losing a loved one.
Reliable advice from a trusted source.
An affordable or free will-drafting service.
Sanlam Trust Chief Executive, Sankie Morata, says, “Lived experience – the loss of a loved one, becoming a parent, or seeing the consequences of someone dying intestate – are what move people to act. 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 of not drafting wills!”
Why no will?
While 70% of respondents believe wills are worthwhile even if you have assets valued at less than R50 000, only a third have actually drafted their wills. Of the two-thirds who don’t have wills:
43% say they don’t believe they own enough assets to draft a will
30% say they’re unemployed
27% ‘haven’t found the time’ to draft a will
Behavioural Science Specialist, Dr Mavis Mazhura, explains, “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.”
Most Powerful Catalyst
What are the biggest motivators for drafting wills, according to the 2025 Sanlam Legacy Wills Survey?
41% said witnessing the consequences of someone dying without a will
38% said having a child
31% said experiencing a death in the family
This is striking because in South Africa, 94% of young people aged 18-24 report losing a close family member before turning 21, showing that personal loss shapes financial behaviour more than age or income. :
Even while so many young people in our country are experiencing death, parents are surprisingly poorly protected:
54% said they have funeral cover
49% said they have life cover
33% said they have drafted their wills
What these parents don’t realise is that without a will, their funeral cover and life cover may not be enough to safeguard children’s futures. Sanlam Trust Senior Legal Adviser, David Thomson, says, “For single parents, a will is especially 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.”
Legacies of Love
Individuals whose parents or grandparents had wills are far more likely to have one themselves, so generational exposure matters and this suggests that will-drafting is a starting point for building legacies of love across generations. However, this requires talking about death within families.
84% of South Africans are having the difficult conversations about death, which is encouraging
45% have not yet shared the contents of their wills with their loved ones
16% don’t speak about death, saying they fear 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 with people rather turning to religious figures, elders or financial advisers
“Financial advisers play a pivotal role. Their relationships with clients are not just transactional –they’re relational, and built on deep trust. Advisers are 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,” Sankie explains.
From Knowing to Doing
Even though fewer of them are drafting wills, South Africans are clear about what would help them to act. Respondents to our survey said:
They would be far more likely to draft wills if the process was simple, affordable, and guided by people they trust.
Free or low-cost services would persuade more than half of those surveyed.
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 in turning intention to action.
By reframing wills as accessible, affordable tools for everyone – not just the wealthy – and by incorporating them into financial conversations and life events, financial advisers can empower more South Africans to take the essential step of drafting their wills. Advisers also play a role in housing wills safely, alongside banks and insurers in the eyes of survey respondents.
“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,” concludes Sanlam Legacy Executive Manager, Amrith Bishoon.