This month, Capital Legacy once again flips estate planning on its head by expanding National Wills Week (15-19 September) into the official Wills Month. South Africa's wills and estates specialists are debunking myths, addressing stereotypes, and showing that leaving a legacy isn't reserved only for older or wealthy people.
Who’s driving the wills revolution?
So far this year, Capital Legacy data reveals the following:
- Mid-lifers leading the charge – Ages 39 to 45 are now the fastest-growing group drafting wills, signaling a new wave of planners in their prime earning and caregiving years.
- Single moms claiming their legacy – 29% of the Capital Legacy client base are single mothers, using wills to secure futures, not just incomes.
- Men shattering perceptions – Men have overtaken women in new wills drafted in 2025, reversing last year’s female-led trend.
- Millennials stepping up – South Africans aged 29 to 44 represent 22% of wills drafted in 2025, up from 18% in 2024, showing estate planning is no longer “something you do later.”
When viewed together, these trends show not only growth but also reveal a shifting societal mindset and a cultural change. More South Africans are taking charge of their legacies earlier and with greater purpose.
Education is changing behaviour
Capital Legacy, in partnership with Kantar, surveyed 800 middle- and upper-income South Africans. The findings show a striking contrast between financial habits and estate planning:
- 96% have short-term savings, but only 61% have retirement plans.
- As many as 79% have life cover, car insurance or medical aid – the same percentage who have retail credit accounts.
- Even in these middle and upper-income segments, just 41% have a last will and testament, although this is up from around 30% (based on Master’s office reports of the full adult South African picture a few years ago).
Encouragingly, more than half (52%) of those without wills plan to get one soon, almost half of them in the 25-34 age group. This suggests that financial awareness and estate planning education are increasingly resonating with younger generations, a promising sign for the future of informed financial decision-making.
But South Africa still faces a legacy crisis: Millions are still dying intestate (without wills), exposing families to chaos, delays, costs, and conflict.
Why it matters now
- Single moms are taking back control, they’re not waiting, they’re planning.
- Men are breaking stereotypes, estate planning is no longer seen as a “female or elderly” domain.
- Millennials and mid-lifers are proving wills aren’t retirement prep, they’re smart life planning.
- South Africans: With only 41% of respondents having wills, the urgency is clear.
“We are seeing positive trends with more single moms, millennials and men getting their wills in place, but the reality is that nearly 70% of adult South Africans still do not have wills. This Wills Month is the perfect opportunity to get your affairs in order,” says Craig Harding, Capital Legacy CEO.
