September is widely recognised in South Africa as Wills Month, making it an excellent time for accountants to reach out to clients not only about ensuring that they have valid and updated wills in place, but also about their broader estate planning. You play a vital role in helping clients ensure their financial affairs are in order, particularly when major life changes occur.
Why This Matters for Accountants
Estate planning is not just about having a valid will—it’s about making sure all financial structures are aligned with your client’s long-term goals. As an accountant, you are often the first to see the bigger financial picture: changes in assets, new investments, or shifts in tax exposure. This puts you in a unique position to identify when estate planning should be reviewed or updated.
September provides a natural conversation starter. Whether a client has recently:
- Married or divorced
- Welcomed children or grandchildren
- Acquired significant assets or sold a business
- Made changes to trusts, companies, or offshore holdings
– these are all key triggers for revisiting estate plans. Your guidance can ensure that the accounting, tax, and financial implications of these changes are properly accounted for before they become problems down the line.
Adding Value Beyond the Numbers
By initiating discussions around estate planning, you show clients that your role extends beyond compliance and annual returns. You are a strategic adviser who ensures that tax planning, succession planning, and wealth protection all work hand-in-hand.
You might also consider:
- Reviewing capital gains tax and estate duty implications
- Advising on liquidity in the estate (are there enough readily available assets to cover the ongoing living expenses of beneficiaries, debts, taxes, and administration costs?)
- Coordinating with attorneys and financial planners to make sure wills, trusts, and business structures are consistent with each other
- Encouraging clients to prepare a record of key documents, accounts, and access details for executors and loved ones
A Timely Opportunity
Wills Month provides the perfect opening to reconnect with clients and demonstrate that your value goes well beyond the numbers. By using this time to initiate estate planning conversations, you position yourself as a trusted adviser who understands the bigger picture and actively looks out for clients’ long-term interests.
This is more than an annual reminder—it’s an opportunity to strengthen client relationships, showcase your expertise, and reinforce the value you bring as their accountant.