If you are a stay at home parent and do not earn an income then you can consider covering the costs that your spouse would need to spend to pay someone "an au pair or otherwise" for all the tasks you perform. On average, a full-time au pair working around 40 hours per week would expect a monthly salary in the range R10,000 - R15,000 if you require them to have their own car.

The after-tax income calculation below makes use of the 2024 South African tax tables, available here: Rates of Tax for Individuals
Please note that this calculation assumes you are under the age of 65 and may not cater for all scenarios.
If you are a freelance worker or earn a non-fixed income per month, you can average your last 12 months of income and use that as your gross monthly income.

Critical illness cover (also called dread disease cover) provides financial protection if you're diagnosed with a severe illness like cancer, heart attack, or stroke. It pays out a lump sum (usually) that helps cover costs not fully addressed by medical aid, such as lifestyle adjustments, home care, uncovered medical expenses and travel for treatment. This cover is crucial because such illnesses may prevent you from working, and the payout helps maintain your financial stability while recovering.

Many people ask, “How much do I need?”. While difficult to answer, the following information provides context.
Treating a stroke in a private hospital could cost from R100,000 and expensive cancer treatment up to R1 million pa in private hospitals.
With a good medical aid and gap cover the first might cost you close to zero and the latter R100,000 pa.

This can include debts like home loans (bonds), vehicle finance, credit cards, or personal loans. The insurance payout ensures that beneficiaries won’t have to bear the financial burden of the deceased’s liabilities.

The model allows for education costs to increase when moving from primary school to high school and again when starting university. This is currently based on a Model C school. The increase is 25% when starting high school and 20% on starting university in addition to the annual inflation increase.

The Healthcare benefit increases annually at inflation + 3% to allow for the higher level of medical inflation in South Africa. The Healthcare costs are estimated based on the number of dependants to allow for fact that you do not need to cover your own healthcare expenses after your death.

Remaining Household expenses should not include the costs of repaying debt, healthcare expenses cost of children’s education, or costs of supporting parents, as these are allowed for elsewhere.
If you are a stay at home parent and do not earn an income then you can consider covering the costs that your spouse would need to spend to pay someone "an au pair or otherwise" for all the tasks you perform. On average, a full-time au pair working around 40 hours per week would expect a monthly salary in the range R10,000 - R15,000 if you require them to have their own car.

This can include anything from medical expenses, general household expenses, care home or frailcare costs, funeral policies, or even life insurance contributions.

These costs typically include items like the coffin or urn, burial or cremation fees, transportation of the body, venue hire for the service, catering, and other related expenses like flowers or a headstone. The total cost can vary depending on the type of funeral and personal preferences.

When a person passes away, all their net assets; like property, cars, investments, life insurance payouts and money, become part of what’s called a “deceased estate.” In South Africa, Estate Duty is a tax on the value of this estate. The first R3.5 million of an estate is free of estate duty. Estate duty is then charged at 20% on the next R30 million and 25% on anything over that amount.

An important deduction for many people is that all assets left to your spouse are free from estate duty.

Estate Duty is complex. The following article provides additional information:What is Estate Duty?

Please note that any life insurance, including cover for this legacy, is included in your estate and may incur estate duty after death.