How it works

    How When I Am Gone Works

    Before anything else, choose what you'd like to do. You can change or add to your choice at any time.

    Where to begin

    Choose your setup

    What would you like to do today?

    1. Create a will

      Create a South African will you can print, sign, and keep. No vault required.

      Begin this path

    2. Create a secure vault

      Store estate information, documents, and instructions securely. No will required.

      Begin this path

    3. Create a will and secure vaultRecommended

      Create your will and build a complete vault for your executor.

      Begin this path

    Your vault

    Vault setup

    Applies if you choose "Create a secure vault" or "Create a will and secure vault"

    1. Create your secure account

      Sign up, verify your email, and complete a quick onboarding to create your vault. Your information is securely encrypted.

      • Email verification for security
      • Create a strong vault passphrase
      • Secure account setup
      • Complete quick onboarding wizard

    2. Add your estate information

      Record assets, liabilities, insurance, and documents. Everything you store in the vault is held securely on our servers.

      • Property, vehicles, bank accounts
      • Insurance policies and investments
      • Important contacts and professionals
      • Upload documents for secure storage

    3. Designate trusted people

      Add executors, family members, and professionals. Control who can access what, and when.

      • Nominate primary and backup executors
      • Add family member contacts
      • Include your attorney and accountant
      • Control access permissions

    4. Record your wishes

      Document funeral preferences, messages, and first-step instructions. These are informational and guide your executor.

      • Funeral and burial preferences
      • Messages to family members
      • First 72 hours checklist
      • Guardianship wishes (informational)

    5. Generate your executor pack

      Create a structured PDF from the information you have entered.

      • Professional formatted document
      • Checklists for SA requirements
      • Contact information summary
      • Secure sharing options

    6. Keep everything updated

      Update your information anytime. Executors can request the latest authorised information through the access workflow.

      • Update anytime from any device
      • Automatic backup of encrypted data
      • Controlled access workflow
      • Activity log

    The will

    Will creation

    If you chose "Create a will"

    If you choose to create a will, you'll complete a guided questionnaire and receive a printable South African will document.

    Signing requirements under the Wills Act.

    • The will must be printed and signed
    • Two competent witnesses are required
    • Electronic wills are not valid in South Africa
    • When I Am Gone does not appoint itself as executor and does not require you to use any specific professional

    Create your will

    Signing requirements under the Wills Act. South African law requires you to print the will and sign it in wet ink, in front of two competent witnesses who are present at the same time. Electronic wills are not valid under the Wills Act 7 of 1953.

    The handover

    Executor access workflow

    Your executor or nominated contact can request access to the information you have authorised, through the access workflow.

    1. Executor requests access through the service
    2. You receive a notification and can approve or deny
    3. If needed, admin can verify death confirmation
    4. Executor accesses only what you have authorised

    Access and activity log

    Every access, login, and action is recorded.

    • Login attempts (Tracked)
    • Vault unlock events (Tracked)
    • File downloads (Tracked)
    • Access requests (Tracked)
    • Share permissions (Tracked)

    What it costs

    Pricing

    All current products and prices are listed on the pricing page, including the will template, vault plans and practitioner pricing.

    See pricing

    When I Am Gone (Pty) Ltd is an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP No: 55699), regulated by the FSCA. Our estate vault and will tools are information storage and document preparation services. For personalised legal or financial advice, consult a qualified professional. Prices are in South African Rand (ZAR) and include VAT where applicable. Get expert advice or speak to a vetted professional.

    When you are ready

    Ready to begin?

    Open a free vault and start adding your information. There is no deadline and you can always come back.

    Create Your Account

    When I Am Gone

    Secure estate information vault for South Africans.

    When I Am Gone is a life-file and estate-readiness platform. It is not a law firm, financial adviser, estate administrator, executor service, probate service or insurer. The platform stores information you supply and helps you keep it organised; it does not provide legal, tax or financial advice.

    When I Am Gone (Pty) Ltd ("When I Am Gone") is a registered Financial Services Provider (FSP No: 55699) providing secure digital information storage and estate-readiness tools. When I Am Gone is not a law firm or estate planning professional. For personalised legal, tax or estate planning advice, consult a qualified attorney or fiduciary practitioner. Executors and beneficiaries are responsible for verifying information and obtaining professional advice before acting.

    Will documents created using When I Am Gone must be printed, reviewed, and signed in the presence of two competent witnesses as required by the Wills Act 7 of 1953. Electronic wills are not valid under South African law. When I Am Gone does not verify will validity, witness competency, or guarantee executor or Master of the High Court acceptance.

    When I Am Gone is the responsible party for processing your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA). We process data based on your consent and contract performance. Data categories collected include identity, contact, estate, and financial information. Consumer vault entries are browser-encrypted; some authorised sharing workflows use server-side envelope encryption so access can be scanned, granted and audited. The security of your own device and passphrase remains your responsibility. Data is held with our cloud and database providers under written POPIA processing terms. Retention: active accounts are retained while the account remains open. Deleted vault contents are removed from active storage. Limited regulatory, audit and transaction records may be retained where required by law, including FICA records kept for at least 5 years from the applicable trigger date.

    You have the right to access, correct, delete, or object to processing of your personal information. Contact our Information Officer at support@wheniamgone.co.za for data subject requests. We notify the Information Regulator and affected data subjects as soon as reasonably possible after discovery of a security compromise, in line with POPIA. Our internal target is 72 hours where the facts allow it. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

    © 2026 When I Am Gone (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. Registered in South Africa.

    When I Am Gone is a registered Financial Services Provider | FSP No: 55699 | Regulated by the FSCA

    Administrative vault services are non-FAIS. Insurance services, where live, are financial services and are provided under the relevant authorisation, disclosures and product-provider terms. The will wizard and estate vault are software tools, not FAIS products. Insurance cover products are not yet on sale. When insurance products are offered, any remuneration will be regulated under FAIS and disclosed before any transaction. CPA and ECTA cooling-off rights apply where the transaction qualifies. The FSP licence is held by When I Am Gone alone and is never re-presented under a partner brand.

    When I Am Gone