Succession Planning Guide

Succession is a process, not an event.

Succession is the transfer of leadership, ownership and wealth to the next stage. Handled late, it is driven by illness, death or crisis. Handled early, it is a choice made on the owner's terms. This guide covers business succession and family wealth succession. It explains the questions to settle, the options for transferring ownership and management, and the order in which to proceed. The legal and tax consequences differ for every family, so each step should be confirmed with your attorney and tax adviser.

What it covers

1. The questions to settle first
2. Leadership and ownership options
3. Preparing the business
4. Preparing the family
5. Estate and tax planning
6. Contingency planning
7. The succession timeline
8. Readiness check

About this guide

Written by the BlackLeaf team, this is the 2026 edition: 11 pages, free to read online or download as a PDF. It is general information for South African owners, boards and families, and is not legal, tax or investment advice. Speak to a qualified adviser before you act on it.

How BlackLeaf can help

BlackLeaf supports families with governance, oversight and administration for complex family structures.

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