You’ll want a responsible and capable person to be your executor.

Spouses often choose each other to be their executor with a backup in case they both die together.

in case the person you choose isn’t able or willing to do the job at the time.

Without a backup executor, family or friends or the Public Guardian and Trustee may have to make a court application.

children, spouse, other family members, or close friends

“residue” of the estate, meaning everything left once the executor has paid all debts, expenses, and taxes (and distributed specific gifts)

first $150K
household furnishings
right to purchase home for 180 days

spouse gets first 300K
household furnishings,
right to buy home for 180 days

It's the law.

you probably named a beneficiary for them when you signed the documents. These assets will go directly to that beneficiary when you die. :

aren’t usually part of your estate (or your will). They go directly to the joint owner when you die

Joint assets such as joint bank accounts or property that you own in joint tenancy

RRSPs, RRIFs, and TFSAs, other investments, or life insurance,

A trust is a legal way to hold property for underage child(ren). Usually the backup executor, as trustee, will set up a trust bank account.

Instruct your trustee to use the funds for the benefit of the child(ren) until they reach 19. You also allow the trustee to transfer some or all of the trust funds to the legal guardian to use for the children’s benefit.

The guardian will have the same legal responsibilities that you currently have for your child(ren).

Usually, you name someone who’s involved with your child(ren).

Family members or close friends may have to go to court to be appointed guardian.

carries out your instructions and winds up your affairs.

tell employers, creditors, banks, and government agencies that your spouse has died

do income tax return and pay any income tax they owe

make funeral or memorial arrangements and payments

and must not be your spouse, an alternate beneficiary, or an alternate beneficiary’s spouse.

A witness must be a mentally capable adult (19 years of age or older)

You can each have the same witnesses. The lawyer or notary or staff who work at their office can be a witness.

you must tell the witnesses that the wills are yours. You and your witnesses should also initial each page. The wills must have the date you signed it included on it.

Give your backup executor copies and let them know exactly where you are keeping your wills.

keep the wills in your safety deposit box unless the backup executor also has a key to the box. Without a key, the backup executor has to prove that they’re the executor before the bank will give them access to the box.

register the location and date you made them with the Wills Registry from the Vital Statistics Agency of BC.

bank accounts, RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs, and other investments, insurance, real estate, and pension benefits.

credit-card debts, a line of credit, personal loans, mortgage loans, and payments under a court order

owned in joint tenancy

codicil (a formal document amending the will)

any changes such as a beneficiary dies, underage children become adults, you become grandparents, or you separate or get divorced (a divorce won’t automatically cancel a will).

keep your wills in a fireproof (metal) box such as a metal filing cabinet or cash box or even in your home freezer.

Do you appreciate the claims to which you ought to give effect?

Some estates that involve only a small amount of money (under $25,000) may not need to go through probate.

It is up to the third parties who hold your assets whether they will give the executor those assets without probate.

New will

destroying the original will (you must destroy it with the intention of revoking it), or

making a written declaration revoking your will, signed in the same way as a will (for example, signed by you and two witnesses).

Freely agree with the contents of the will at the time you make it;

To protect himself or herself against personal liability, an executor should advertise in the newspaper for creditors and claimants against the estate

The debts of an estate (including income tax) must be paid before any beneficiaries receive their money. If an executor ignores the debts and pays the beneficiaries, the executor may be held personally liable for those debts.