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Jasper L. Edwards
A Canadian Will, which is also
known as a Testament, is a legal document by which a person who is known as the testator spells out
the manner in which his or her estate should be distributed following his or death.
The Testator appoints one or more persons known as executors to ensure your
estate's. The Will may also specify the manner in which the testator wants any medical
treatment to be carried out and, ir necessary, the arrangements that need to be made for his or her
funeral.
The most important reason that you should make a Will is that it
enables the Can
 adian government to
know exactly how you want your estate to be distributed after your death. In absence of a Will
or if the Will is not valid at the time of death, it is regarded that the person has died
intestate and may lead to a prolonged legal battle among the surviving family members,
known as B
eneficiaries, resulting in delay in distribution
of the estate. Properly drafted Canadian legal Wills go a long way to ensuring that your
estate is distributed among the beneficiaries in the manner you chose and in a timely
manner.
Before you start making a will it
would be prudent for you to understand the meaning and definitions of various major and minor
terms and phrases that are used in the drafting of Canadian legal Wills, such as Testator,
Testament, Wills, Beneficiary, Legacy and Executor. Once you're clear about the terms and
definitions of Canadian legal wills you should make an estimate of the value of your assets, which
includes not only your property, investments, motor vehicles and cash, and last, but not
least, any and all other personal belongings that you may own. Once you have made an
assessment of the location and the value of your assets, you can then decide on the manner it will
be distributed among the beneficiaries.
By keeping in mind a few essential
things you can easily make a valid Canadian legal
Will that will be accepted by the Canadian Law courts. You can choose either to write the
Canadian legal will yourself or you can avail of the services of a lawyer to draft
the Will for you. You should also ensure that the Canadian legal Will executed by you,
reflects your current situation, and in case of any change, you should ensure that the will
is appropriately amended.
For instance, if your marital status
changes you should ensure that the same is reflected in the Will you have made or else you may
face the prospect of it being cancelled automatically. The most important aspect in making
Canadian legal Wills is the appointment of one or more executors who will ensure that your last
wishes are executed in the manner defined by the Will. It would be advisable to have an
alternate executor in case the executor nominated by you is unable to perform the execution of the
Will. Canadian legal Wills are regarded as valid only if the document hase been
witnessed. You can ask any adult to Witness your Will (in writing), though you
should take care that the witness to the Will is not also a Beneficiary or nominated
as the executor.
Other
Resources:
legalwills.ca - Canada's #1 provider of online Wills, Power of Attorney & Living
Wills. Thousands of legal documents every week. Over 13 years in
business.
RESOURCE
BOX
Free Wills to
Print provides detailed information on Free Wills, How to Write a Will, Last
Will And Testament, Living Wills and more.
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