It has been said that a Will is the last message you will leave your family. Having a Will can provide clear direction as to what your wishes are and who will get what. Die without a Will (known as dying intestate) and chaos will likely be the result. Having a Will allows you to provide for certainty instead of chaos.
Most of the reasons to have a Will have to do with what happens if you don’t have one and that often will depend on what province you reside in. Each provincial government has its own Wills and Estate legislation which also provides for the rules regarding intestacy. The following are some of the reasons to have a Will and what could result without one.
1. Informs your family how and when your property is to be distributed
Your Will affords you the opportunity to give clear instructions as to whom will receive your wealth. It also allows you to make bequests of certain items such as family heirlooms which you may wish to leave to a specific individual. For those who wish to leave funds to a charity, the Will allows you to do this. Without a Will, this opportunity may be lost. The bottom line is that you make the call. Dying without a Will means that the provincial government will make the determination on how your estate is to be distributed depending on the intestacy laws.
For example, if there is a spouse and children, the spouse will usually receive a specified amount. That amount can vary between $200,000 and $300,000 depending on the province. Any amounts over that are, for most provinces, split between the children and the spouse. The amounts due to the children, however, are not received by them until they reach the age of majority. Up until then, those funds are administered by the provincial government. If you reside in Alberta, the children receive nothing, and all goes to the spouse.
If you die without a spouse and without children, then the assets will be left to parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, in that order. The government will receive all if there are no relatives. And remember those family heirlooms that you could dictate to whom they went in your Will? Without a will those and other similar assets will most likely have to be sold so the estate can properly be distributed.
2. Allows the testator to name an Executor
The task of the Executor is to administer the estate and ensure that the testator’s wishes are carried out. Without a Will, there is no Executor, and an administrator must be appointed by the government. Usually, this will be the spouse, but if the spouse is not willing or capable then someone else will have to be found to carry out this function. Regardless, the result usually will be unnecessary delays and increased expenses.
In administering estate assets, the role of an Executor also helps to ensure that there is no loss of estate assets due to lack of oversight prior to the assets being distributed.
3. Protects a common law spouse
British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North West Territories and Nunavut recognize common law marriages where the parties have lived together for more than 2 years. In these jurisdictions common law spouses have the same rights as a married spouse. In all other provinces, however, they are not recognized and as a result are entitled to nothing. There may be exceptions where a dependency claim can be made to the courts, but that could prove to be expensive and result in significant delays. It also could result in other family members making objections to the court. With a properly drafted Will, the rights of a common law spouse are protected.
4. Naming a guardian for your children
Having the choice as to who will look after your children should you die is an extremely important reason to have a Will. This is especially true in the case of a common disaster involving both parents. Consider the unimaginable scenario in which the decision as to who should be the guardian of your children was left to the courts.
5. Leaving instructions for your funeral, burial or cremation
A Will affords you the opportunity to leave concise instructions regarding your funeral arrangements. Dying without a Will or with no clear directive could cause stress and family discord.
6. Proper estate planning can result in income tax savings
Estate planning, including a properly drafted Last Will and Testament, may result in tax savings. On the other hand, dying intestate will see this opportunity lost and administrative costs increased.
It is unfortunate that many Canadians do not have a Will. While there may be some circumstances where a Will is not necessary, for those Canadians who are married and have children, a Will is vital and should not be overlooked. Ideally, a Will should be drafted by a lawyer who is acquainted with all the technical requirements and contingencies that come into play.
If you are without a Will, talk to a professional who can assist you as soon as you can.
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