Canadian Will Preparation Checklist — What to Gather Before You Start

Last updated July 5, 2026 · 5 min read
Quick answer
A Canadian Will preparation checklist covers the decisions you need to make and information you need to gather before drafting. Decisions — primary beneficiary (typically spouse), contingent beneficiaries (children, others), executor (and backup), guardian for minor children (and backup), specific bequests of items or amounts, charitable bequests if any, funeral preferences. Information — full legal names and dates of birth of all named persons, current contact information, list of major assets (real estate, accounts, investments, business interests, personal property), debts and liabilities, location of important documents. Time investment — typically 1-3 hours of preparation; 30-90 minutes for online Will completion.

This checklist helps you prepare before drafting your Canadian Will. Pre-gathering information and making major decisions makes the actual drafting (online or with a lawyer) much faster and more thoughtful.

Decisions to make before drafting

1. Primary beneficiary

Who receives the bulk of your estate?

For most people:

  • Married/common-law: Spouse first
  • Single with children: Children equally
  • Single without children: Specific person(s), charity, or combination
  • Childfree by choice: Specific persons (siblings, friends), charities

Consider:

  • Survival contingency (what if primary predeceases?)
  • Backup beneficiaries
  • Specific to your circumstances

2. Contingent beneficiaries

If the primary beneficiary predeceases you, who's next?

Typical cascade:

  • Spouse → Children → Grandchildren → Siblings → Charity → Crown (if no other)

Consider:

  • Each contingency layer
  • Percentage or equal distribution
  • Per stirpes (predeceased beneficiary's share to their children) vs per capita

3. Executor

The person who administers your estate. Critical choice.

Characteristics of a good executor:

  • Trustworthy
  • Capable of administrative tasks (paperwork, bank visits, decisions)
  • Available (will be active in role for 12-24+ months)
  • Willing (must agree to the role)
  • Geographic accessibility (out-of-province executors face complications)
  • Reasonable expectation of outliving you

Don't choose:

  • Someone who hates paperwork
  • Someone with strained relationships with beneficiaries
  • Someone with conflicting financial situations
  • Someone who hasn't agreed

Always name a backup executor.

4. Guardian for minor children

If you have minor children and your spouse predeceases or you both die, who raises them?

Characteristics:

  • Will raise children with values you'd want
  • Has stable home situation
  • Geographic accessibility
  • Reasonable age and health
  • Willing (must agree)

Backup guardian essential.

See: Writing a Will with children

5. Specific bequests

Particular items or amounts to specific people.

Examples:

  • "My grandmother's pearl necklace to my daughter Emma"
  • "$10,000 to my niece Sarah"
  • "My golf clubs to my brother Tom"
  • "My collection of Stephen King books to the Toronto Public Library"

Consider:

  • Items of sentimental value to specific people
  • Cash bequests to friends, distant family, organizations
  • Specific to each person

6. Charitable bequests

Gifts to registered charities.

Decisions:

  • Which charities
  • Specific amount or percentage
  • General purposes or restricted use
  • Gift-over if charity ceases to exist

See: Charitable bequests in Canadian Wills

7. Funeral preferences

While not legally enforceable, including preferences in the Will (or separate Funeral Pre-Planner) provides guidance.

Common elements:

  • Burial or cremation
  • Religious or secular
  • Specific venue or cemetery
  • Specific elements

See: Funeral pre-planning Canada

Information to gather

About yourself

  • Full legal name
  • Date of birth
  • Current address
  • Marital status
  • Citizenship

About all named persons

For each beneficiary, executor, guardian:

  • Full legal name (matches official ID)
  • Relationship to you
  • Date of birth
  • Current contact information
  • Address

About your assets (approximate)

  • Real estate — addresses, approximate values, ownership structure (joint or sole), mortgages
  • Bank accounts — institutions, types (chequing, savings, GIC), approximate balances, joint or sole
  • Investment accounts — RRSP, RRIF, TFSA, non-registered; institutions; approximate values
  • Pensions — employer pensions, government pensions
  • Life insurance — policies and approximate coverage
  • Vehicles — make, model, year, approximate value
  • Personal property — significant items (jewellery, art, collectibles)
  • Business interests — corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships
  • Foreign assets — if applicable

About debts and liabilities

  • Mortgages
  • Lines of credit
  • Credit card debt
  • Other loans
  • Tax obligations

About specific organizations (for charitable bequests)

  • Full legal name of charity
  • CRA Business Number (RR number)
  • Specific contact information

Documents to have available

Identification

  • Driver's licence or other photo ID
  • Confirmation of legal name

Financial documents

  • Recent bank statements
  • Investment account statements
  • Real estate title information
  • Mortgage documents
  • Insurance policies
  • Pension statements

Prior estate documents

  • Any existing Will (will be replaced)
  • Power of Attorney for property
  • Power of Attorney for personal care
  • Advance directive

Relevant family documents

  • Marriage certificate
  • Birth certificates for children
  • Divorce decree if applicable
  • Pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreements
  • Cohabitation agreements

Decisions about Will structure

Single Will or multiple Wills

  • Single Will covering all assets (most common)
  • Multiple Wills for tax/probate optimization (Ontario specifically)
  • Separate Wills for foreign jurisdictions (substantial foreign assets)

Distribution timing

  • Outright distribution at death
  • Staggered distribution (1/3 at 21, 1/3 at 25, 1/3 at 30)
  • Trust until specific age
  • Lifetime trust

Specific conditions

Practical preparation tips

Discuss with executor and guardian in advance. Don't surprise them with the role; confirm willingness.

Discuss with primary beneficiaries if possible. Reduces surprises and disputes.

Have important documents organized. Centralized location helps executor later.

Consider the Life Discovery Kit approach. Beyond the Will itself, comprehensive documentation of where everything is (accounts, contacts, passwords) dramatically helps executor.

Update beneficiary designations on registered accounts. RRSP, TFSA, life insurance, pension pass outside the Will. Update separately.

Time investment

Preparation: 1-3 hours gathering information and making decisions.

Drafting: 30-90 minutes online or 1-3 lawyer meetings.

Signing: 15 minutes with witnesses.

Total: 2-5 hours plus the lawyer meeting time if applicable.

After signing

  • Original stored securely (home safe, safety deposit box, lawyer)
  • Executor informed of location
  • Old Will destroyed or marked "REVOKED"
  • Beneficiary designations on registered accounts reviewed and updated
  • Powers of Attorney updated (separate documents)
  • Advance directive updated (separate document)
  • Will location registered with BC's Wills Registry (BC), or a private will registry such as NoticeConnect elsewhere (if applicable)

What we focus on at It's Simple Will

The Will Creator walks through each of these decisions in a guided online process. The pre-gathering checklist on this page mirrors the information you'll be asked for during the drafting process.

Citations & sources

  1. [1]Canadian Bar Association — Wills and Estates — Canadian Bar Association

Frequently asked questions

What's the most important decision to make first?

Executor. The executor is the person responsible for administering your estate after death — locating assets, paying debts, filing taxes, distributing inheritance. Choose someone trustworthy, capable, and willing. Discuss with them in advance. Always name a backup executor.

What information do I need about my beneficiaries?

Full legal names (matching official ID), date of birth (helpful for distribution age calculations), current contact information, relationship to you. For minor children — date of birth particularly important for trust provisions and age-based distributions. For organizations (charities) — full legal name plus CRA Registration Number.

Do I need to know exact asset values?

No — approximate values are enough for a Will. The Will describes who gets what; exact valuations happen at death. You should know the general scope of your estate (rough total, major asset types, approximate proportions). The detailed inventory is the executor's task.

Should I make decisions before sitting down or work through them as I go?

Pre-deciding the major choices (executor, beneficiaries, guardian) is more efficient. Detailed decisions (specific bequest amounts, percentage allocations, contingencies) can be worked through during drafting. Good online services prompt for each decision in logical order.

How long does the Will preparation process take?

Total time investment typically 2-5 hours including preparation and signing. Preparation (gathering information, making decisions) — 1-3 hours. Drafting (online service, lawyer meeting, or DIY) — 30 minutes to 2 hours. Signing with witnesses — 15 minutes. Plus storage and family notification.

What if I'm not sure about specific decisions yet?

Some uncertainty is fine. Make the best decision you can with current information. The Will can be updated as circumstances change. Don't let perfect be the enemy of done — having an imperfect Will is far better than no Will (which triggers intestacy).

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