Dear Colleague
This newsletter will be the last edition for 2021. In this edition, we would like to embrace the upcoming festive season, but we would also like to address a few important topics.
EFBOE’s offices will be closed for the festive season from Wednesday, 15 December 2021, at 12h00 and will reopen on Wednesday, 5 January 2022, at 08h00.
2021 EFBOE COMPETITION WINNERS
EFBOE’s competition for 2021 ended on 31 October 2021.
The winners of the 2021 EFBOE competition are:
1st place – Paul Louw, Port Elizabeth
2nd place – Anton Redelinghuys, Cape Town
Congratulations!
Thank you for your continued support and loyalty to EFBOE during 2021!
EFBOE’s competition for 2021 ended on 31 October 2021.
The winners of the 2021 EFBOE competition are:
1st place – Paul Louw, Port Elizabeth
2nd place – Anton Redelinghuys, Cape Town
Congratulations!
Thank you for your continued support and loyalty to EFBOE during 2021!
Further competition announcement
There were quite a few advisors in the race for second place. Please remember that you all have a renewed opportunity to compete for the next years’ winning positions. We are happy to announce that we are continuing with the competition for the next cycle, starting on 1 November 2021 and ending on 31 October 2022.
There were quite a few advisors in the race for second place. Please remember that you all have a renewed opportunity to compete for the next years’ winning positions. We are happy to announce that we are continuing with the competition for the next cycle, starting on 1 November 2021 and ending on 31 October 2022.
The main motivation behind this competition is to show our appreciation to those advisors who continue to support EFBOE directly, and who continuously make use of our services.
The two cash prizes for the competition will be:
- R7 000 for the winner, and
- R3 000 for the runner-up.
The criteria for the competition are as follows:
- 20% – Number of existing clients with EFBOE Wills in safekeeping on 31 October 2021; this is a fixed starting point;
- 60% – Number of new clients with EFBOE Wills in safekeeping during the competition period (1 November 2021 to 31 October 2022); and
- 20% – Points collected for power of attorney estates (“buite boedels”) referred to and administered by EFBOE during the competition period. Points for power of attorney estates are based on one point for each R10 000 of executor fees earned during the competition period.
The names of the competition front runners will be announced in the Let’s Talk EFBOE newsletter from time to time. The newsletter will be the only source of information on the competition, so make sure to keep reading!
Update on the ransomware attack at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ & CD)
After the massive ransomware attack that took place on 06 September 2021, the DOJ & CD’s systems have been restored after having been offline for quite some time. Unfortunately, this not only exacerbated the backlog already experienced prior to this malicious attack, but also increased the backlog substantially. This has had a ripple effect on the whole sector dependent on the department’s services. Processes are thus taking longer than usual. Thank you for your understanding and patience as this affects our speed and service delivery directly and profoundly. Please continue to convey this message to your clients who are directly affected by this event.
Ensure that Wills are signed and returned for safekeeping
A Will is a useful tool to open a door to an appointment with a client, but it also forms an integral part of their estate planning. In last month’s newsletter, we stressed that, even under the current conditions, 54% of South Africans still do not have a Will.
Original signed Wills must be returned for safekeeping as soon as possible after they have been signed. Unfortunately, it sometimes happens that when a person passes away, their original signed Will was never returned for safekeeping and no other original signed Will can be located. This complicates the administration process, especially if there was no other previous signed Will somewhere else.
EFBOE will continue to assist you in providing information regarding your outstanding Wills, but it remains your responsibility as the advisor to follow up on outstanding Wills, to ensure that a signed Will is received and to ensure that your clients’ last Will & Testament has been returned to EFBOE for safekeeping. Should a Will not be taken up by a client, please inform EFBOE to cancel such a Will to eliminate unnecessary follow-up. We rely on your cooperation in this matter.
Estate forms
Please note that all the estate documents required for the reporting of a deceased estate are also available on our website, www.efboe.co.za, under the Deceased estates section, from where they can be downloaded.
URGENT NOTICE about Will templates
When Wills are drafted, the templates used are sent out in PDF format. The purpose of this is to ensure that the final signed documents are feasible and drafted in a legally correct manner.
It has come to our attention that these templates are sometimes changed without EFBOE’s knowledge.
Please note that EFBOE drafts Wills as a service, free of charge, for Efficient brokers and Efficient Efficient clients. Sometimes these templates are changed by non-EFBOE representatives and, in certain cases, EFBOE as nominated executor is replaced with another executor. Any copying, distribution, or amendment of the Will PDF templates not authorised by EFBOE representatives, is prohibited and may be unlawful. The Will PDF templates remain the property of EFBOE and we urge you to refrain from changing these. Please also communicate the same to your clients.
If your clients would like any changes made, please contact your Wills drafter who will effect these changes for you. The format and wording of these documents are very important. EFBOE is further responsible for the execution of signed Wills and cannot be held responsible if the wording or content of these documents have been changed. It is impossible to check every Will that is returned against a template to ensure that none of the content has been changed, therefore, the last signed Will must always correspond with the last saved template.
We ask for your co-operation in this matter, as we operate as a team and our relationship with you is based on mutual trust and sound ethical values.
Update on the ransomware attack at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ & CD)
After the massive ransomware attack that took place on 06 September 2021, the DOJ & CD’s systems have been restored after having been offline for quite some time. Unfortunately, this not only exacerbated the backlog already experienced prior to this malicious attack, but also increased the backlog substantially. This has had a ripple effect on the whole sector dependent on the department’s services. Processes are thus taking longer than usual. Thank you for your understanding and patience as this affects our speed and service delivery directly and profoundly. Please continue to convey this message to your clients who are directly affected by this event.
Ensure that Wills are signed and returned for safekeeping
A Will is a useful tool to open a door to an appointment with a client, but it also forms an integral part of their estate planning. In last month’s newsletter, we stressed that, even under the current conditions, 54% of South Africans still do not have a Will.
Original signed Wills must be returned for safekeeping as soon as possible after they have been signed. Unfortunately, it sometimes happens that when a person passes away, their original signed Will was never returned for safekeeping and no other original signed Will can be located. This complicates the administration process, especially if there was no other previous signed Will somewhere else.
EFBOE will continue to assist you in providing information regarding your outstanding Wills, but it remains your responsibility as the advisor to follow up on outstanding Wills, to ensure that a signed Will is received and to ensure that your clients’ last Will & Testament has been returned to EFBOE for safekeeping. Should a Will not be taken up by a client, please inform EFBOE to cancel such a Will to eliminate unnecessary follow-up. We rely on your cooperation in this matter.
Estate forms
Please note that all the estate documents required for the reporting of a deceased estate are also available on our website, www.efboe.co.za, under the Deceased estates section, from where they can be downloaded.
URGENT NOTICE about Will templates
When Wills are drafted, the templates used are sent out in PDF format. The purpose of this is to ensure that the final signed documents are feasible and drafted in a legally correct manner.
It has come to our attention that these templates are sometimes changed without EFBOE’s knowledge.
Please note that EFBOE drafts Wills as a service, free of charge, for Efficient brokers and Efficient Efficient clients. Sometimes these templates are changed by non-EFBOE representatives and, in certain cases, EFBOE as nominated executor is replaced with another executor. Any copying, distribution, or amendment of the Will PDF templates not authorised by EFBOE representatives, is prohibited and may be unlawful. The Will PDF templates remain the property of EFBOE and we urge you to refrain from changing these. Please also communicate the same to your clients.
If your clients would like any changes made, please contact your Wills drafter who will effect these changes for you. The format and wording of these documents are very important. EFBOE is further responsible for the execution of signed Wills and cannot be held responsible if the wording or content of these documents have been changed. It is impossible to check every Will that is returned against a template to ensure that none of the content has been changed, therefore, the last signed Will must always correspond with the last saved template.
We ask for your co-operation in this matter, as we operate as a team and our relationship with you is based on mutual trust and sound ethical values.
As we approach the end of 2021, we wish to take a moment to reflect on the challenging and difficult path behind us. But we reflect only for a moment, as one cannot dwell on the past, but should rather learn from it. We are thankful to be able to celebrate the end of another year and now look ahead to the future.
Thank you for supporting EFBOE and for marketing our services during 2021. Even though there must have been trying times during the year, it is comforting to know that those times also pass, and most things have a way of working out in the end.
We continue to strive to always deliver excellent service, despite the hurdles and difficulties experienced from time to time. These are all part of life’s journey; the good, the bad, and the ugly. We look forward to continuing on this journey with you in the new year. A path filled with surprises, the known and unknown, challenges and victories.
We wish you a peaceful festive season with your loved ones. Family legacy is more than just about what we have created, but also about the story that we are part of and share. A story not just about ourselves, but a story which is part of a bigger picture. “No man is an island, entire of itself.” Our challenge is to see this larger picture, to recognise how others have shaped us, and to realise how we impacted the lives of others. There will always be occasions, happenings, and people who intersect with us on our life’s journey. We influence people every day through what we say and do, through what we write, create and share. And all that influence adds up!
May we use the power of our lives for the lasting good of those we touch, from our own loved ones to our colleagues, our communities and even our online connections.
Thank you for supporting EFBOE and for marketing our services during 2021. Even though there must have been trying times during the year, it is comforting to know that those times also pass, and most things have a way of working out in the end.
We continue to strive to always deliver excellent service, despite the hurdles and difficulties experienced from time to time. These are all part of life’s journey; the good, the bad, and the ugly. We look forward to continuing on this journey with you in the new year. A path filled with surprises, the known and unknown, challenges and victories.
We wish you a peaceful festive season with your loved ones. Family legacy is more than just about what we have created, but also about the story that we are part of and share. A story not just about ourselves, but a story which is part of a bigger picture. “No man is an island, entire of itself.” Our challenge is to see this larger picture, to recognise how others have shaped us, and to realise how we impacted the lives of others. There will always be occasions, happenings, and people who intersect with us on our life’s journey. We influence people every day through what we say and do, through what we write, create and share. And all that influence adds up!
May we use the power of our lives for the lasting good of those we touch, from our own loved ones to our colleagues, our communities and even our online connections.
Warmest greetings of this festive season and best wishes for Happiness in the New Year!
Be safe during the festive season!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Until 2022!
The Let’s Talk EFBOE Team