The default position under South African law is marriage in community of property — meaning estates are merged and liabilities are shared. This cannot be undone after marriage without a court process.

Both are forms of marriage out of community of property, but accrual shares the growth in each party's estate over the marriage. The right choice depends on your circumstances and what you want the arrangement to achieve.

It often should. Existing assets and structured holdings may need specific treatment to avoid uncertainty later — getting this right at the drafting stage is far easier than revisiting it after marriage.

More than most people allow. The contract must be signed before a notary and registered at the Deeds Office before the marriage is concluded — leaving it too late creates real risk.

Not without a court order, and the process is not straightforward. The contract you sign before marriage is, in most cases, the one that applies for its duration.