What does the Master of the High Court do?

The High Court master is the one who makes arrangements for a funeral simple. Because laying a person to rest is not easy. You have to have your wits about you.

When someone dies, who issues the death certificate? What happens to the credit cards? The property, cars, bank accounts and what if the deceased wanted their organs donated?

What about the Will and instructions for a funeral? What about insurance policies which may pay for the funeral?

A High Court master, You and Funerals –

High Court masterThankfully the Master of the High Court is there to take care of legal matters and issues that not many people understand.

There are a number of Acts which regulate the duties of the High Court master. These include the Administration of Estates Act, 1965, The Companies Act, 1973, the Insolvency Act, 1936, the Trust Property Control Act 1988 and the Close Corporations Act, 1984.

A High Court Master and Their duties –

Some of the duties include –

  • Deceased estates
  • Safeguarding all documents
  • Protecting the interest of minors and old people
  • The appointment of executors and trustees
  • Insolvent estates
  • Registration of trusts

A High Court Master takes Care of Everything –

The family receive the inheritance when the executor completes the estate admin. The admin involves the collection of  the estates assets, debt payment and paying out the balance of the assets among the family members.

A Master of the High Court must have an LLB degree to handle the varied duties. Their main function is to wind up the affairs of the deceased and protect the financial interests of the heirs.

There is a High Court master for each province of South Africa. Each of these divisions has their own head. If you need any forms, the Master of the High Court website provides all the forms you require.

The time Will come when You need to Know this

When someone dies, the death is reported in the area the deceased lived. If the deceased wasn’t in the country at the time of death, you can report it to any Master.

The Master’s Office ensures the quick settlement of all matters they deal with. They are in contact with attorneys, trust companies, insolvency firms, financial and valuators of estates.

Now is the Time to make Sure what needs to be Done

If you are an executor for your partner’s estate and haven’t a clue how to deal with all the issues, approach a professional. If there is a will, they may have named someone to be an executor. But if no one is named, the master of the High Court will appoint an executor.

All info was correct at time of publishing