Canadian estate planning,
without the legalese.
Plain-English guides to wills, probate, estate planning, and funeral planning — written for Canadians, cited to statute, and reviewed regularly. Free to read, no signup.
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Wills
Writing, signing, updating, and revoking a Canadian will.
Probate
Fees, timelines, and what executors actually do at court.
Estate Planning
Beyond the will — taxes, beneficiary designations, joint ownership, trusts.
Funeral Planning
Pre-planning, costs, cremation, green burial, what to do when someone dies.
Checklists
Free, printable Canadian checklists for executors, families, and pre-planning.
Probate fee calculator
Estimate the provincial probate fee on any estate value across all 10 provinces and 3 territories. Formulas linked to the underlying statute.
Open the calculatorLatest articles
What Is an Affidavit of Execution and Why You Want One
An affidavit of execution is a sworn witness statement that the will was signed properly. Not required for validity — but it makes probate substantially easier when one of the witnesses cannot be found 20 years later.
After a Beneficiary Dies: Why a Stale Will Causes Problems
When a beneficiary dies before you do, your will may save the gift, redirect it sideways, or send a slice of your estate to people you never named. A plain-English Canadian walkthrough.
Alternate Guardians: The Conversation Most Canadian Parents Skip
Naming a single guardian for your kids without a backup is a single point of failure. Here is how alternate guardians work in Canadian wills and why two conversations are better than one.
Ambiguous Wording in a Canadian Will — Real Examples and Lessons
Many Canadian will disputes come from unclear wording rather than forgery or undue influence. Here are the most common ambiguity traps and how to draft around them.
Annual Will Review Checklist for Canadians
A quick annual review of your Canadian Will catches outdated provisions, expired beneficiary designations, and life-event-triggered updates. Practical checklist taking 15-30 minutes per year.
Are Online Wills Legal in Canada?
Online will services generate the document, but in most provinces the will only becomes legal when printed on paper and physically signed in front of two witnesses. BC alone recognizes electronic wills.