Administering a Deceased Estate from Abroad

All estates must be registered with the Master of the High Court within 14 days of death. An executor is appointed — either named in the will (testamentary executor) or appointed at an Edict Meeting called by the Master. Critical for diaspora: an executor who is outside Zimbabwe CANNOT be granted Letters of Administration UNLESS they appoint a Power of Attorney to someone resident in Zimbabwe AND provide sufficient security to the Master. The process: 1) Report death and register estate at Master's office. 2) Executor applies for and receives Letters of Administration. 3) Executor advertises in the Government Gazette calling on creditors to lodge claims within 30 days. 4) Executor lodges a Liquidation and Distribution Account within 6 months (extensions possible). 5) Account lies for inspection for 21 days. 6) If no objections, executor distributes within 2 months. This process typically takes 6 months to several years for complex estates. Reputable law firms for estate administration: Honey & Blanckenberg, Gill Godlonton & Gerrans, Scanlen & Holderness, Kanokanga & Partners (all Harare-based). Budget for legal fees: typically 3-5% of estate value.