Wills & Estates
Protect Your Future and Your Family With a Proper Estate Plan
Planning for the future does not have to be complicated or stressful.
At Douglas Law Firm, we help individuals and families put their Wills and Powers of Attorney in place with a straightforward, personalized process. We take the time to understand your family, your assets and your wishes, then explain your options and prepare documents that reflect your circumstances.
Whether you are preparing your first Will, updating an existing Will, getting married, having children, purchasing property, or simply want the peace of mind of having a plan in place, we are here to help.
Contact us today to discuss your estate planning needs.
Why Have a Will?
One of the most common questions we hear is:
“Why do I need a Will?”
A Will allows you to make important decisions about what happens to
your estate when you pass away.
Without a valid Will, you are considered to have died
intestate, and Ontario law determines how your estate
is distributed. The result may not be what you would have wanted.
Having a Will allows you to:
- ✓
Choose your Estate Trustee (Executor) - ✓
Name alternate Estate Trustees - ✓
Decide who will receive your estate - ✓
Name alternate beneficiaries - ✓
Make specific gifts - ✓
Provide for minor children - ✓
Identify your wishes regarding guardianship of minor children - ✓
Establish provisions for beneficiaries who are not yet adults - ✓
Consider trusts where appropriate - ✓
Provide clear instructions for your loved ones
A properly prepared Will can provide clarity for your family and help
reduce uncertainty and potential disputes.
Wills and Powers of Attorney
A complete estate plan should consider both what happens after you pass away and what happens if you become unable to make decisions for yourself during your lifetime.
Douglas Law Firm can assist you with:
Wills
Your Will sets out your wishes for the distribution and administration of your estate.
Power of Attorney for Property
This allows you to appoint someone you trust to make financial and property decisions on your behalf if you become incapable of managing your affairs.
Power of Attorney for Personal Care
This allows you to appoint someone you trust to make personal-care decisions on your behalf if you become incapable of making those decisions yourself.
Your Attorney for Property and Attorney for Personal Care do not have to be the same person.
Choosing these individuals is an important decision. We will discuss your options with you and help you understand the responsibilities involved.
Our Will & Estate Planning Process
We believe that creating your Will should be straightforward.
Our process generally involves two meetings.
Your Initial Consultation
During the initial consultation, which can be done in-person or on Google Meets, the Lawyer will collect the information needed to draft your Will and answer all your questions.
We may discuss:
- ▸ Your family and relationships
- ▸ Your children and grandchildren
- ▸ Your Estate Trustee and alternate
- ▸ Your beneficiaries
- ▸ Your Powers of Attorney
- ▸ Your real estate and investments
- RRSPs, pensions and life insurance
- ▸ Other significant assets
You do not need to have everything figured out before your appointment.
We Prepare Your Documents
Following your consultation, we prepare your Will and Powers of Attorney based on the instructions discussed with you.
We take your individual circumstances into account rather than simply
providing a generic form.
Our role is to ask the right questions, explain your options and help you make informed decisions.
Your Signing Appointment
At your second meeting, we review the completed documents with you.
We explain the documents and answer any questions you may have before you sign.
Once everything is properly executed, your estate-planning documents
are in place.
That’s it. Two meetings designed to make the process simple and straightforward.
What Should I Bring to My Appointment?
You do not need to complete everything before meeting with us.
However, having some basic information available can make your consultation more productive.
You may wish to think about:
Your Family
- ✓ Your full legal name and date of birth
- ✓ Your spouse or partner
- ✓ Your children and their dates of birth
- ✓ Your grandchildren
- ✓ Any dependants
- ✓ Any beneficiaries with disabilities or who receive ODSP or other benefits
- ✓ Your current marital or relationship status
Your Assets
You may also wish to make a general list of:
- ✓ Real estate
- ✓ Bank accounts
- ✓ Investments and GICs
- ✓ RRSPs and other registered investments
- ✓ Pension plans
- ✓ Life insurance
- ✓ Other significant assets
You do not need to provide dollar amounts for our initial discussion.
The People You Trust
You should begin thinking about:
- ✓ Who you would like to act as your Estate Trustee
- ✓ Who you would like as an alternate Estate Trustee
- ✓ Who you would like to appoint as your Attorney for Property
- ✓ Who you would like to appoint as your Attorney for Personal Care
- ✓ Who you would like as alternate Attorneys
It is also helpful to know whether any accounts, investments or insurance policies already have designated beneficiaries.
You do not have to make all of these decisions before your appointment. We will discuss them with you and help you understand your options.
Who Should I Choose as My Estate Trustee?
Your Estate Trustee, sometimes called your Executor, is responsible for administering your estate after your death.
Their responsibilities can include:
- Locating and securing your assets
- Arranging for funeral expenses
- Paying outstanding debts and expenses
- Dealing with your tax obligations
- Communicating with beneficiaries
- Distributing your estate according to your Will
- Completing necessary estate administration steps
You should choose someone you trust and who you believe is capable of handling these responsibilities.
It is also important to name an alternate Estate Trustee in case your first choice is unable or unwilling to act.
Who Will Receive My Estate?
Your beneficiaries are the people or organizations you choose to receive your estate after debts, expenses and other obligations have been dealt with.
You can decide how your estate should be divided.
If you have minor beneficiaries, we can discuss whether an inheritance should be held in trust and at what age or under what circumstances they should receive it.
If you have a child or other beneficiary with special circumstances, including a disability or government benefits, tell us about this during your consultation. It may affect how your estate plan should be structured.
Do You Have Minor Children?
If you have minor children, your estate plan should address more than simply who receives your assets.
You may wish to consider:
- Who you would like to act as guardian
- Who you would like as an alternate guardian
- Who should manage money inherited by your children
- When your children should receive their inheritance
We will discuss these considerations with you as part of the Will-planning process.
Your Assets Matter When Preparing Your Will
A Will is only one part of your overall estate plan.
The way your assets are owned can affect how they are dealt with when you die.
Things to Consider
- ✓ Whether real estate is jointly owned or owned separately
- ✓ Whether investments have designated beneficiaries
- ✓ Whether life insurance has a beneficiary designation
- ✓ How registered accounts are structured
- ✓ Whether assets are intended to pass to a particular person
This is why our initial consultation includes a discussion about your assets and how they are held.
Protect Your Future With a Proper Estate Plan
Every person’s circumstances are different. Your Will and Powers of Attorney should reflect your family, your assets and your wishes.
We will take the time to understand your situation, answer your questions and guide you through the process from your initial consultation through to signing your completed documents.
Contact Us to Get Started →Contact us to discuss your estate-planning needs and receive a personalized quote.
What If I Already Have a Will?
If you already have a Will, it may still be worth having it reviewed.
Your circumstances can change over time, and your estate plan should
continue to reflect your wishes.
You May Want to Review Your Will If You Have:
- ⁃ Married or separated
- ⁃ Divorced
- ⁃ Had or adopted a child
- ⁃ Experienced the death of a beneficiary or Estate Trustee
- ⁃ Purchased or sold significant property
- ⁃ Acquired significant assets
- ⁃ Started or sold a business
- ⁃ Changed your relationships with beneficiaries
- ⁃ Had a beneficiary develop special needs
- ⁃ Changed your wishes about who should receive your estate
If you are unsure whether your existing Will still reflects your wishes,
contact us to arrange a review.
Make the Process Simple
Thinking about your own death or incapacity can be difficult.
The good news is that you do not have to figure everything out on your own. Our lawyers will guide you through the important questions, explain your options and help you put the appropriate documents in place.
You do not need to know exactly what you want before contacting us.
That’s what the consultation is for.
Will & Power of Attorney Questionnaire
To help us prepare for your consultation, we have a Will and Power of Attorney Questionnaire available.
The questionnaire is not mandatory. You do not need to have every answer before your appointment.
If you are able to provide information about your family, assets, beneficiaries, Estate Trustee and Powers of Attorney ahead of time, it can help us better understand your circumstances and make your consultation more productive.
Download the Questionnaire →If you have questions about any of the information requested, don’t worry — we can discuss it with you during your appointment.
