What a Plan Review Covers
A plan review is a structured check of the documents and decisions that sit around your wealth. We look at your will, trust deeds, beneficiary nominations, retirement income arrangements, succession notes and the current spread of your assets so we can see whether everything still works together. If your family situation has changed, or if you now hold property, business interests or investments in different names, we test the plan against those changes and flag the gaps.
The aim is practical: make sure the right people are named, the right assets can move as intended, and the liquidity needed for estate costs is still realistic. We also look at whether a trust still serves its original purpose, whether a will needs updating after a major life event, and whether your plan still supports your long term wishes. For many clients this is the point where small adjustments prevent bigger problems later on.
- Will and beneficiary alignment
- Trust purpose and trustee checks
- Asset ownership and title review
- Retirement income and lump sum position
- Liquidity for estate costs, debts and taxes
When It Makes Sense to Review Your Plan
We recommend a review after any material change in your life or balance sheet. That includes marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a spouse, a business sale, a property purchase, an inheritance or a move between provinces. Changes in tax rules, trust administration practice or retirement legislation can also alter how a plan should be structured. A review once a year is usually enough for many households, but clients with active businesses or multiple entities often need a more frequent check in.
For families in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Paarl, Johannesburg and Durban, the pressure points are often different. One client may need to tidy up offshore holdings, while another needs to make sure a family business and a farm interest are treated in a clear way. We keep the conversation calm and specific so you know exactly what needs action and what can stay as it is.
- Annual maintenance review for stable households
- Six monthly review for active business owners or trustees
- Immediate review after a life event or major transaction
- Online review available for clients nationwide
How the Review Process Works
We keep the process simple. First, we ask for the current documents and a summary of your assets and liabilities. Then we compare the plan to your present family situation and ownership structure. After that, we hold a review meeting to talk through findings, options and next steps. If changes are needed, we set out what should be updated, by whom and in what order. You do not need to chase multiple people for a single answer, we coordinate the moving parts.
Most clients find that the review itself is the useful part because it gives them one clear view of the whole picture. We are not trying to sell a product. The work is about checking whether your arrangements still make sense and if not, where the weak points are. If the plan is still sound, we say so plainly and note the date for the next review.
What You Receive After the Review
After the meeting, you receive a written summary of the review findings and the actions that should follow. This may include recommended wording changes, updated instructions for executors or trustees, beneficiary corrections, liquidity concerns or timing issues linked to retirement income. Where required, we also prepare a practical checklist for the family meeting, trustee briefing or document update stage.
The output is designed for real use. It is not a thick report that sits in a file. It is a clear working document that helps you and your advisers keep the plan current. If there are items that should be revisited over the next few months, we flag those too so nothing gets lost in the rush of everyday life.
- Written review summary
- Action list with priorities and timing
- Notes on document updates needed
- Follow up recommendations for trustees or family members
Turnaround, Fees and Ongoing Maintenance
Turnaround depends on the complexity of your estate and how quickly the needed information is provided. A straightforward annual review can usually be completed within a short working cycle after we have all documents in hand. More involved reviews, especially where trusts, company interests or property portfolios are involved, may take longer because we need to test each moving part properly.
Our pricing is based on the scope of the review, not on pressure or guesswork. Clients receive a clear quote before work starts, with the option to link reviews into an annual maintenance arrangement if they prefer predictable servicing. For many households this is the neatest approach because it keeps costs visible and makes it easier to plan the next review interval. Load shedding and delayed admin can slow some parts of the process, so we build in realistic timeframes from the start.
Who Handles the Review Work
Plan reviews are led by advisers who understand estate structure, retirement income and family decision making together. Depending on the nature of your case, the work may involve Anika Fourie for estate planning, Sibusiso Dlamini for broader wealth alignment, Megan Naidoo for trust structure checks or Ruan le Roux for retirement income matters. Lukhanyo van der Merwe oversees the approach from the Stellenbosch base, with Zanele Mokoena managing client coordination so the process stays organised and on time.
We work with entrepreneurs, farming families, professional practices and multi-generational households across South Africa. Some clients prefer an in person meeting in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Paarl, Johannesburg, Durban or Somerset West, while others use video consultations from anywhere in the country. The format matters less than the outcome, which is a plan that is current, practical and easy to hand on when needed.
Key facts
| Service type | Plan Reviews for estates, trusts and retirement arrangements |
|---|---|
| Review frequency | Annual, six monthly or after major life events |
| Coverage | Wills, trusts, beneficiaries, asset ownership, liquidity and retirement income |
| Turnaround | Typically within a short working cycle once documents are received |
| Pricing approach | Quoted according to scope and complexity before work begins |
| Access | In person in Stellenbosch and major SA cities, plus video consultations nationwide |
