Protection for step-children: there is no moral obligation to provide for step-children in the Wills, Estates and Succession Act. This means that if you pass away, leaving your assets to your spouse, your children from a previous relationship may not be provided for. This can be remedied in a multitude of ways by hiring an estate planning lawyer to organize your assets.

Unequal treatment of children: you may wish to leave more assets to certain adult children if they are more dependent on you than others. Because unequal division can be varied by the court, it is important to hire an estate planning lawyer to ensure that your assets are divided in accordance with your wishes.

Probate tax: when your assets pass through probate, they will be taxed. There are ways to avoid this using various estate planning techniques. This is particularly important for those with high value assets. For example, you may wish to legally transfer assets out of your possession before you pass, in order to diminish the total value to be taxed in the estate.

Protect disability benefits: if a beneficiary of a will receives a large inheritance from a will, they may be disentitled from their disability benefits under the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act. This can be an unintended consequence of dying intestate which is one of the reasons why it is important to consult with an estate planning lawyer.