Probate challenges and estate planning complexities

--:--
Many South African investors are seeking offshore opportunities, whether for diversification purposes or a currency hedge, or due to an economic or a political agenda.However, a recurring, underlying problem in such decisions is that most individuals don’t realise how their foreign investments may impact their estate on death.Offshore probate refers to the process of applying for the right to deal with a deceased person’s foreign assets and proving their will as a valid legal document in a foreign jurisdiction. A grant of probate can be seen as the equivalent of a letter of executorship in South Africa and serves as the formal acknowledgement by a foreign court that a will is enforceable. It also confirms that the persons named as executors under the will have the authority to manage the estate.The process may vary in different jurisdictions, which can make it extremely complex.For this reason, I invited Albert Coetzee, head of the Ninety One Global Investment Platform, into the studio to explore whether probate will be required when investing in offshore-domiciled products, and if so, what that entails.Apart from managing sales, Coetzee is closely involved in the servicing, product, marketing, legal and compliance, as well as the events aspects related to Ninety One’s Global Investment Platform.He is a qualified lawyer and holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Legislative Law degrees. He is also a certified financial planner.Have a listen to the recording on when and where probate becomes a problem.
7 May 2024 English South Africa Investing

Other recent episodes

Where FSCA and FCA part ways and where they don’t

In the second podcast from Citywire’s London studios, Money, Markets, and Masterminds tackles one of the hottest issues in advice today: regulation. Citywire South Africa editor Ruan Jooste is joined by Jack Gilbert, editor of sister title Citywire New Model Adviser, to map how the global counterparts – South Africa’s…
23 Jun 34 min

Quality, conviction and calm: Investing through global turbulence

In this episode of Money, Markets, and Masterminds, editor Ruan Jooste sits down with Joseph Stephens, senior analyst at Guinness Global Investors, to unpack how their global equity income and innovation strategies are positioning amid rising tariffs, sector volatility, and shifting investor sentiment. With clarity on dividends, resilience, and risk,…
19 Jun 17 min

What Monopoly can teach about investing

What if Monopoly wasn’t just a board game but a behavioural finance simulator? Adrian Saville, MBA professor at Gibs, joins Money, Markets, and Masterminds for the fourth instalment of our ‘Long Game’ series — and it’s not child’s play. Citywire South Africa explores how he and his Gibs colleague, Professor…
11 Jun 23 min

Who inherits your client's pension if a minor dies first?

When a parent passes away, benefits meant for their children often get caught in legal red tape. In this episode, we unpack beneficiary funds, guardianship gaps and why a will may not be enough. Fairheads’ chief executive David Hurford (pictured above) joined Citywire South Africa to explore how advisers can…
5 Jun 20 min

Active vs passive – who’s really winning in SA?

In this month’s Mind Over Markets episode, we unpack the first ever South African Active/Passive Barometer from Morningstar. Citywire South Africa editor Ruan Jooste sits down with Michael Dodd, senior fund analyst at Morningstar South Africa, to break down which managers outperformed in 2024 — and which ones didn’t make…
30 May 14 min