Look up any South African estate and follow its progress, step by step.
stage 2 of 6
Executor appointed
What this means
The Master's Office has approved the appointment of an executor. Letters of Executorship have been issued and the executor is now administering the estate.
Registered
The estate has been reported and entered into the Master's Office system. This is the starting point for all estates.
Typically 1-2 weeks after reportingExecutor appointed
The Master's Office has approved the appointment of an executor to administer the estate. Letters of Executorship have been issued.
Typically 4-12 weeks after registrationQuery issued
if neededThe Master's Office has raised a query; additional information or documents are needed before the estate can progress.
Typically depends on response timeDocuments received
if neededRequested documents have been received by the Master's Office and are being reviewed.
Typically 2-6 weeks to processInformation update in progress
if neededThe Master's Office is processing updates to the estate records, such as the Liquidation and Distribution Account or other amendments.
Typically 2-4 weeksCase closed
The estate has been finalised. All assets have been distributed, accounts settled, and the estate file has been closed by the Master's Office.
Typically 2-5 years from registration on averageFor families
Whether you've just lost someone or you're helping a family member navigate the process, LegacyCheck gives you clarity at every stage.
For practitioners
Executors, attorneys, and financial advisors use LegacyCheck to monitor all their estates from one dashboard.
LegacyCheck checks the Department of Justice's records every day and tells you the moment something changes. No portal to check, no calls to make.
No registration required.
Check any estate's status for free. Enter an ID number, see what stage it's at, in plain language.
check an estateSee what an estate really costs. A transparent, data-backed executor fee estimator built for South Africa.
calculate feesUnderstand the process, step by step. From the first few days through to estate closure.
read the guides170k+
estates reported to the Master's Office each year
2–5y
average time for estate administration in South Africa
silence.
the default state of estate communication for families