It's 'Make A Will' month: Here's how to craft one online for under $100
It’s said that the only two certain things in life are death and taxes, yet more than half of all Ontarians have not created a will.
Currently 57 per cent of Ontarians don’t have a will and that number jumps to 89 per cent for those under the age of 35.
November is 'Make A Will' Month, and Canadians can now opt to craft a will online for under $100 with a new option recently approved by the Law Society of Ontario.
Willful is an online platform that can help you create a will with plans costing between $99 to $329.
Legal experts say having an estate plan is one of the greatest gifts you can leave behind, as it can help your family deal with your assets, prevent stress and make sure your wishes are carried out.
"You should have a will so your loved ones know what you want when you pass away and there is a clear plan for your assets and who should take care of your dependents,” Erin Bury, CEO of Willful, told CTV News Toronto.
Bury said an online will is an easy way to complete the process and can be updated over time.
"People don't want to go into a lawyers office and spend thousands of dollars on what's really writing a simple document," she said.
David Edey of Montreal is a Certified Executor Advisor and the author of “Executor Help – How to Settle an Estate, Pick an Executor and Avoid Family Fights,” a book he wrote after having issues as an executor.
Edey said he wrote the book after it took seven years, ten court appearances, and $50,000 in legal fees to settle his parent’s estate.
“When being asked to be an executor about 99 per cent of people have no idea what to do,” Edey told CTV News Toronto, adding “the biggest problem is that family’s also don’t prepare the executor for the job they are to be responsible for.”
"Getting organized and having a will is the greatest gift of love you could leave your family. The important thing is that you don’t want to leave them a mess, you want to make it as easy as possible,” he said.
Edey said more communication before a loved one passes can prevent many problems.
Bury agrees you should tell the executor they have been chosen and share information with them.
"We always tell people you should tell them you appointed them as the executor because they don't have to take on that role," she said.
You should create or update a will after major life changes like a marriage, separation or divorce, the birth of a child, the death of a beneficiary or executor or a change in assets.
You may wish to seek the services of a lawyer if you have a complicated estate, substantial assets, international property or feel the will could be challenged.
It can be an honour to be named an executor, but it's a job that also involves a lot of time and effort as it can take hundreds of hours of work and a year or longer to settle an estate.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
A subset of Alzheimer's cases may be caused by two copies of a single gene, new research shows
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.