Preparing Your Will

Cover of Preparing Your Will

Preparing Your Will from People's Law School is for people who are preparing a will in British Columbia. It explains what to do, how to choose an executor, and what steps to take next. The information reflects the Wills, Estates and Succession Act, which became law in 2014.

Contents

• Why You Should Consider a Will
  • What happens when you die without a will · You don’t have to prepare a will

• Choosing an Executor
  • What to consider when choosing your executor · Other factors to consider in choosing an executor · You can name more than one person to act as executor · How you can make the job easier for your executor

• Preparing a Will
  • Legal requirements for a will · Who can prepare a will · When you should prepare a will · Elements of a will · Your will should be specific in its details · What your will does not include · Who you can leave your estate to

• Preparing Your Will: Step-by-Step
  • Step 1. Choose your executor · Step 2. Write the will · Step 3. Sign the will · Step 4. Keep your will in a safe place · Step 5. Register your will
• Changing or Cancelling a Will
  • You can change your will after you’ve prepared it · You can cancel your will · Getting married or divorced

• Common Questions
  • How is a will different from a power of attorney or representation agreement? · What is a “living will”? · Do I need to prepare a new will if I move between provinces?

• Resources
  • Where to Get Help · Glossary

• About
  • About Preparing Your Will · More from People's Law School

Copyright & Disclaimer

Preparing Your Will © People’s Law School is, except for the images, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.

At People's Law School, we believe accurate, plain English information can help people take action to work out their legal problems. This publication explains in a general way the law that applies in British Columbia, Canada. It is not intended as legal advice. For help with a specific legal problem, contact a legal professional. Some sources of legal help are highlighted in the "Where to Get Help" section.

People's Law School

People's Law School is a non-profit society in British Columbia providing free education and information on the legal problems of daily life.