Death Benefit Claim

If you are married, it is important to understand what will happen to your marital property when you die. Samke Mhlongo also explains how you can claim from your spouse’s estate after their death.

- Samke Mhlongo

Picture this: you’re watching an African movie about a loving husband, his wife and their two young children. The husband dies from a car accident, illness or the Nollywood favourite – witchcraft! His family comes over to comfort the grieving widow and arrange the burial. But, before the last of aus Martha’s funeral biscuits have been consumed, the conversation has shifted to how his estate will be chopped up. It’s a sad, yet predictable storyline that continues to play out in real life too, unless we continuously educate ourselves and take the necessary actions to correctly manage our finances.

DID YOU KNOW?

I was shocked to learn that being married in community of property (COP) does not mean that you are entitled to your spouse’s half of the joint estate when they die. Additionally, if you are divorced or even remarried, and did not remove your ex-spouse as a beneficiary on your life policy, guess who will be crying tears of joy at your funeral? I was flabbergasted after speaking about the workings of a deceased estate to two legal experts Faeeza Khan, senior specialist: legal marketing at Liberty, and advocate Thembi Ntoane, member of the Johannesburg Bar Practicing at Maisels Group. I was left thinking: “how do I encourage my BONA readers to take action about such a heavy topic without depressing them (and myself) in the process?” I found the answer in three familiar songs that I hope will serve as a reminder for you to take action, every time you hear them:

ENDLESS LOVE