When you get married, there are so many exciting things to focus on like the wedding dress, invitations, and the honeymoon. And when you have a child, your life becomes so busy as you care for your growing family. The last thing you want to think about are the financial aspects of these new life situations.

Yet it is the finances that will have the most lasting impact on your relationships. This is especially true when it comes to writing up a will. After your marriage contract, this the most important document to get drawn up.

In this conversation Maya and Andrea Carr chat to fiduciary expert Moremadi Mabule about the importance of having a will.

Some of the questions and issues addressed in this conversation include:

• How does your marriage regime affect your will?
• What happens when you die without a will?
• What makes a will valid?
• How sould you provide for your children in your will?
• How does divorce affect your estate planning?
• Should you both have life cover to provide for the maintenance?

This is part of a series of conversations where Maya speaks to Andrea about her experience of getting divorced which led her to question many of the decisions she made as a woman, as a mother and as a wife, when it came to her finances. It made her realise the importance of taking care of herself, instead of only taking care of her family.

It is important to note that while the idea for this series came from Andrea’s personal experience of getting divorced, this is not just about women or divorce. These conversations are relevant to anyone in a relationship especially when there are children involved. We want to understand how to navigate this space so that it feels fair – from a financial, physical and emotional perspective.

For more information on writing up a will, visit the “My Estate” section of this website.

This is the third podcast in a four-part series in partnership with NinetyOne. Take a listen to the other episodes in this series, and look out for the last episode in which we will be speaking to a relationship therapist.