Difference between revisions of "Challenging a Will"

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{{REVIEWEDPLS | reviewer = [https://www.mclellanherbert.com/Our-Team.shtml Hugh McLellan], McLellan Herbert|date= October 2018}} {{Dial-A-Law TOC|expanded = wills}}
It could be you’re shocked or disappointed by what a will says. Or you might believe the will doesn’t represent the true intentions of the deceased. In such cases you may be able to challenge it. There are different ways to do this. Learn about some common grounds for challenging a will, and what’s involved.


{{Dial-A-Law TOC|expanded = wills}}
==What you should know==
==What can you do if you’re disappointed as a beneficiary?==
A beneficiary (someone who gets a share of your estate) is sometimes unhappy with their share of what they receive under a will. A spouse or child may feel that what they’ve received is less than fair, or they may not receive anything at all.


This script explains your rights and remedies in the following circumstances:
===You can challenge the fairness of your spouse or parent’s will===
If your spouse or parent passed away, and you’re unhappy with what they left you in their will, you can challenge it in court. You may feel you didn’t receive a fair share. Or maybe they didn’t leave you anything at all.


*A will appears to be unfair toward a spouse or child.
A will-maker is generally allowed to divide their property however they want. However, [https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/laws/stat/sbc-2009-c-13/latest/sbc-2009-c-13.html#sec60_smooth under the law in BC], a spouse or child of a will-maker who has passed away can challenge the will in court if they feel it doesn’t “make adequate provision for the proper maintenance and support” for them. This is called a '''wills variation claim'''.
*The person making the will may not have had the necessary mental capacity to do so.
*There may have been undue influence or coercion on the person making the will.
*The person died without making a will.


Occasionally someone else, perhaps a friend or other relative (who isn’t a spouse or child), may be disappointed with what they have or haven’t received under a will. They may have a claim in “unjust enrichment” against the estate. A lawyer will need to be consulted. For example, if you agreed to provide personal services to an older person in exchange for money when the person dies, or share of the estate, you may be able to make a claim against the estate. This script deals only with a disappointed spouse or child.
If you’re a friend or relative (other than a spouse or child), you may be disappointed with what you got or didn’t get under a will. You ''cannot'' make this type of claim. However, there are other ways you can challenge the will, which we’ll explore below.


==First, is the will unfair?==
===You don’t have to be married to be considered a spouse===
If the “testator” (the person who died) has been unfair or unreasonable toward a spouse or child, the court may change the will, even if the will is technically valid. For example, the new Wills, Estates and Succession Act (WESA) gives the court the power to change a will that doesn’t adequately provide for the maintenance and support of the deceased person's spouse or children.
[https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/laws/stat/sbc-2009-c-13/latest/sbc-2009-c-13.html#sec2_smooth Under estates law], you are a deceased person’s spouse if you:


==Does “spouse” include a common-law spouse?==
* were married when they died, or
Yes, “spouse" includes a common-law spouse. But to be considered as a spouse, you must have lived with the testator in a marriage-like relationship for at least two years immediately before the testator’s death. Marriage-like relationships between people of the same sex are included, so a gay or lesbian partner can make a claim as a spouse of the deceased if they lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least two years before the testator died.
* lived with them in a marriage-like relationship for at least two years immediately before they died.


==What does the definition of “children” include?==
===Children can be biological or adopted===
"Children" entitled to inherit from their parent’s estate includes biological children of any age, born either within or outside of a marriage, and legally adopted children. Stepchildren, however, or biological children who have been adopted by someone else, aren’t entitled to inherit from their parent’s estate.
You’re entitled to make a wills variation claim against your parent’s estate if you’re their biological child (of any age, born either within or outside of marriage). Or if you’re legally adopted.


==What does the court consider?==
Otherwise you aren’t. As their stepchild, for example, you can’t make a wills variation claim. Nor can you make a claim if you’re a biological child but someone else adopted and raised you. (Unless that person was your parent’s spouse.)
The court considers many things to see if the will adequately provides for the spouse or children, including:


*the value and nature of the assets of the estate (for example, the money and property owned by the testator)
===There are other ways you can challenge what the will says===
*the financial circumstances of the applicant (for example, the spouse or child asking the court to change the will)
Only the spouse or child of the will-maker can challenge an otherwise valid will for being unfair or inadequate with a wills variation claim. But there are other reasons you may want to challenge how the estate should be distributed. If you have an interest in the estate, you can challenge a will because:
*the financial circumstance of the other beneficiaries
*the character and conduct of the applicant towards the deceased person


The court’s main consideration will be whether the applicant spouse or child was financially dependent on the deceased, and if so, to what extent. For example, if a disabled adult child is left out of the will, the Court may determine that there was a moral and/or legal obligation to provide for this child. Many people are concerned that if they leave their disabled adult child a share of their estate, that child will lose social assistance benefits. This is not necessarily true. You must consult a lawyer to ensure that you are protecting your assets for the benefit of your disabled child so that he or she gets the maximum benefit.  
* '''The will-maker wasn’t mentally capable when or they made the will'''. We explore this below.
* '''Someone unduly pressured or influenced the will-maker'''. We also explore this below.
* '''There was a mistake in the will'''. The will-maker may have gifted something they didn’t intend to, because of a mistake by them or their lawyer. The mistake may be due to fraud or it may be accidental. The law gives the court wide powers to rectify (that is, fix) a mistake in a will. (For example, to re-insert a word that was left out).
* '''The will-maker revoked (that is, cancelled) their will'''.
* '''The language used in a will is vague or uncertain'''. The executor may have to apply to court to have the will interpreted. For example, the will may make a gift to a charity that doesn’t exist.
* '''The will-maker failed to provide for an individual in their will'''. Consider a spouse who pitched in to help buy property that was registered only in the deceased’s name. Or an employee who worked in the will-maker’s business for little or no pay. Such people may have expected that their role in “enriching” the will-maker would be reflected in the will. If you want to challenge a will for similar reasons, speak to a lawyer about making '''constructive trust''' claim or an '''unjust enrichment''' claim.


==How does the court decide to change the will?==
===If you think the will-maker wasn’t capable of making the will===
After considering the circumstances, the court may decide to change the will. The court will consider what a reasonable testator would have done. If the will reflects irrational anger or favouritism or without good reason ignores the genuine needs of the testator’s spouse or children, the court may change the will to make its provisions fairer. The court therefore has the power to order that the estate provide for the spouse or children in a way that is “adequate, just and equitable” in the circumstances.
If you think the will-maker didn’t have the '''mental capacity''' to make a will, you can challenge it in court. This type of challenge is common with wills created late in life. Or when the will-maker had an illness that could have affected their judgment.


==Next, consider a testator’s lack of mental capacity==
A person can be eccentric or suffer from a mental disorder and still be able to make a valid will. However, they must have '''testamentary capacity'''. This means they must be able to:
Even where a will appears to meet the technical requirements of the law, a court may change the will if the court finds that the testator lacked the necessary mental capacity to make a will. A person can be eccentric or suffer from a mental disorder and still be able to make a will. However, they must have the capacity to:


*understand that they’re making a will
* understand they’re making a will
*understand the effect of the will
* understand that the will determines what will happen to their property after they die
*appreciate the amount of the property they’re distributing with the will
* appreciate the nature and value of all of the property they own, including what will pass through and outside of the will
*understand and appreciate that their will should, if possible, make provisions for their spouse and children and not unfairly disentitle them
* understand who their next-of-kin are and appreciate that their will should, if possible, provide for their spouse and children and not unfairly exclude them


It often happens that an older person who has been befriended by another person will leave their entire estate to that person. The Court will make sure that the older person was not “unduly influenced” and had the appropriate mental capacity to make the will.  
===If someone unduly pressured or influenced the will-maker===
Seemingly unreasonable terms in a will can raise the suspicion that the will-maker was pressured, forced or influenced into making them. The court can disallow any gift or inheritance if it was given because of '''undue influence''' on the will-maker. In these cases, the will is not considered a reflection of the will-maker’s true desires.


==What happens to the estate if the testator lacked mental capacity?==
Most people exert some level of influence over those they love. There’s nothing illegal in suggesting to someone that they remember you in their will. But if you threaten to, say, stop taking care of them if they don’t leave you a larger share of their estate, that’s '''undue influence'''. Similarly, you can’t:
If a court finds that the testator lacked capacity with respect to any of these elements when they made their will, then the court may decide the will isn’t valid. If the deceased doesn’t have a previous will, this will mean that the deceased person has no will at all, and their estate will instead be divided according to WESA. If the testator has another will, made at an earlier time when they had testamentary capacity, then this earlier will will be valid and in force.


Note, however, that WESA allows the court to consider any record, document, email or text message to help determine the deceased’s testamentary intentions. The court can then order that the administrator of the estate act according to how the court believes the deceased wanted their estate to be distributed. This can effectively give documents such as emails, letters, and text messages the same authority as a properly-executed will. However, this provision is new to BC’s wills and estates legislation and it is unclear how the courts will interpret it. Still, if the deceased made a written record of how they wanted their estate to be handled —at a time when they had testamentary capacity—the court can consider at this as well.
* threaten or use violence
* use heavy persuasion on the will-maker in the final days of their life
* mentally exhaust them to the point they agree with your requests
* isolate them
* continually bad mouth your siblings to get your parent to write them out of the will


==What about undue influence or coercion?==
==Understand the legal process==
Sometimes unreasonable terms in a will will raise the suspicion that the testator was coerced into making the document. While there’s nothing illegal in suggesting to someone that they remember you in their will, the court can strike down any gift or inheritance in a will that can be proven to have been made through undue influence or pressure applied to the testator.


==What will the court do if there has been undue influence or coercion?==
===There are time limits to making challenges===  
The court will cancel any will if it believes was made under the pressure of undue influence. If it’s established that a person was in a position where they potentially could have dominated the testator or made the testator dependent upon them, then that person will have the burden of proving that they didn’t unduly influence the testator.
There are deadlines, called '''limitation periods''', that must be met if you want to challenge a will. If you miss the deadlines, it may be too late. If you want to make a claim, you should talk to a lawyer immediately.


==What happens if the person dies without a will?==
A '''wills variation claim''' must be started within '''180 days''' from the date the grant of probate or administration is issued by the probate registry. (The grant confirms the will is legally valid and can be acted on.) If a wills variation claim is brought more than 180 days after the grant is issued, the opportunity to bring a legal action to change the will is likely lost.
Where a person dies without a will, WESA applies automatically, containing provisions for this occurrence. Refer to script [[What Happens When You Die Without a Will?" (Script 177)|177]] on “What Happens When You Die without a Will?”.


==You should contact a lawyer==
If you’re thinking of contesting the validity of a will because of mental incapability or undue influence, there’s generally a '''two-year limitation period''' to bring your claim. This means you must start your legal action within two years from the date you know — or should have reasonably known — that you have a claim.
If you have a problem like the ones described in this script, you should see a lawyer. There are deadlines known as “limitation periods” that must be met if you are a disappointed beneficiary and desire to have a will changed, and missing these deadlines can prevent you from enforcing your right if you delay in acting. For example, if a spouse or child feels that the will doesn’t adequately provide for their maintenance and support, they must start their court action within 180 days from the date of the grant of probate (for example, when the will is accepted by the court).


===The court considers several factors when deciding whether a will is fair===
If you make a wills variation claim, the court can decide to change the will if they think it’s fair to do so in your particular circumstances. The court will consider many things when making this decision, including:


[updated March 2015]
* the will-maker’s reasons for distributing their assets as they did
* the value and nature of the will-maker’s money and property
* your financial circumstances
* the financial circumstances of the other beneficiaries
* the nature of your relationship with the will-maker
* whether you financially depended on the will-maker and to what extent
* any assets passing outside of the estate to you or to others
* any gifts they made to you or others during their lifetime


===The court considers what a reasonable will-maker would have done===
If the will reflects irrational anger or favouritism or ignores the genuine needs of the will-maker’s spouse or children, without good reason, the court may change the will to make it fairer. The court can order that the estate provide for the spouse or children in a way that is “adequate, just and equitable” in the circumstances.


----
====Adult children====
----
The courts have generally found that there’s a moral obligation to provide for '''independent adult children''' if there are sufficient assets. But sometimes a will-maker’s reasons for leaving their adult child out of the will are valid and rational. In that case the court may say there was no such obligation.


If an '''adult child with a disability''' is left out of the will, the court may find there was a moral and legal obligation to provide for them. Sometimes such children are left out of the estate for well-meaning reasons, such as a fear that the money would reduce or stop the adult child’s social-assistance benefits. But that isn’t always how things go. It’s a good idea to consult a lawyer to ensure your dependent adult child gets the maximum amount of money they can.


===The court may find that the will-maker wasn’t capable when they made the will===
If a court finds that the will-maker was not mentally capable when they made their will, it may decide the will isn’t valid. In these circumstances, if the will-maker:
* didn’t have a previous will, [https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/laws/stat/sbc-2009-c-13/129389/sbc-2009-c-13.html#sec20_smooth their estate will be divided according to BC law], or
* had another will, then their most recent valid will — made when they were mentally capable — applies
If the deceased made a written record of how they wanted their estate to be handled — when they were mentally capable — the court can consider it to help learn the deceased’s intentions. This can give documents such as emails, letters, and text messages the same authority as a valid will. The court can then order the estate be distributed based on what they believe the deceased wanted. This part is relatively new to BC’s wills and estates law — so far, courts have been conservative in interpreting it.
===The court will cancel a will if there was undue influence or coercion===
The court will cancel any will it believes was made under undue influence or coercion. If it’s shown that a person was in a position where they could have dominated the will-maker or made the will-maker depend on them, then that person will have to prove they didn’t unduly influence the will-maker.
==Common questions==
===Do I need to see a lawyer?===
If you have a problem like the ones described, you should see a lawyer. These kinds of disputes are typically complex. Your best chance of success is to have an expert take you through the legal process. A lawyer will tell you what steps to take, including what documents you’ll need to file with the court.
When trying to find a lawyer to take your case, feel free to shop around. Ask each lawyer how much it’ll cost. You should be able to get some free estimates. Some lawyers may agree to take a percentage of any amount you receive from the estate as a result of a successful challenge. This is called a '''contingency fee arrangement'''. With this type of arrangement, a lawyer will only charge you legal fees if you win the case. Many lawyers will still require you to pay certain expenses called disbursements even if you’re not successful.
===What if someone dies without a will?===
If someone dies without a will, [https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/laws/stat/sbc-2009-c-13/129389/sbc-2009-c-13.html#sec20_smooth their estate is distributed according to the law]. Generally, the estate goes to the spouse, children, or descendants (for example, grandchildren) of the deceased. If there’s no spouse or descendants, the estate will go to other relatives. Our information on [[When Someone Dies Without a Will|when someone dies without a will]] explains in more detail how an estate is divided if there is no will.
===What if I want to leave my spouse or child out of my will?===
If you’re thinking of leaving a spouse or child out of your will, or leaving them less than they might reasonably expect, see a lawyer. Our information on [[Preparing a Will and Estate Planning|making a will and estate planning]] explains this in more detail.
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Latest revision as of 04:48, 10 November 2020

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by Hugh McLellan, McLellan Herbert in October 2018.

It could be you’re shocked or disappointed by what a will says. Or you might believe the will doesn’t represent the true intentions of the deceased. In such cases you may be able to challenge it. There are different ways to do this. Learn about some common grounds for challenging a will, and what’s involved.

What you should know

You can challenge the fairness of your spouse or parent’s will

If your spouse or parent passed away, and you’re unhappy with what they left you in their will, you can challenge it in court. You may feel you didn’t receive a fair share. Or maybe they didn’t leave you anything at all.

A will-maker is generally allowed to divide their property however they want. However, under the law in BC, a spouse or child of a will-maker who has passed away can challenge the will in court if they feel it doesn’t “make adequate provision for the proper maintenance and support” for them. This is called a wills variation claim.

If you’re a friend or relative (other than a spouse or child), you may be disappointed with what you got or didn’t get under a will. You cannot make this type of claim. However, there are other ways you can challenge the will, which we’ll explore below.

You don’t have to be married to be considered a spouse

Under estates law, you are a deceased person’s spouse if you:

  • were married when they died, or
  • lived with them in a marriage-like relationship for at least two years immediately before they died.

Children can be biological or adopted

You’re entitled to make a wills variation claim against your parent’s estate if you’re their biological child (of any age, born either within or outside of marriage). Or if you’re legally adopted.

Otherwise you aren’t. As their stepchild, for example, you can’t make a wills variation claim. Nor can you make a claim if you’re a biological child but someone else adopted and raised you. (Unless that person was your parent’s spouse.)

There are other ways you can challenge what the will says

Only the spouse or child of the will-maker can challenge an otherwise valid will for being unfair or inadequate with a wills variation claim. But there are other reasons you may want to challenge how the estate should be distributed. If you have an interest in the estate, you can challenge a will because:

  • The will-maker wasn’t mentally capable when or they made the will. We explore this below.
  • Someone unduly pressured or influenced the will-maker. We also explore this below.
  • There was a mistake in the will. The will-maker may have gifted something they didn’t intend to, because of a mistake by them or their lawyer. The mistake may be due to fraud or it may be accidental. The law gives the court wide powers to rectify (that is, fix) a mistake in a will. (For example, to re-insert a word that was left out).
  • The will-maker revoked (that is, cancelled) their will.
  • The language used in a will is vague or uncertain. The executor may have to apply to court to have the will interpreted. For example, the will may make a gift to a charity that doesn’t exist.
  • The will-maker failed to provide for an individual in their will. Consider a spouse who pitched in to help buy property that was registered only in the deceased’s name. Or an employee who worked in the will-maker’s business for little or no pay. Such people may have expected that their role in “enriching” the will-maker would be reflected in the will. If you want to challenge a will for similar reasons, speak to a lawyer about making constructive trust claim or an unjust enrichment claim.

If you think the will-maker wasn’t capable of making the will

If you think the will-maker didn’t have the mental capacity to make a will, you can challenge it in court. This type of challenge is common with wills created late in life. Or when the will-maker had an illness that could have affected their judgment.

A person can be eccentric or suffer from a mental disorder and still be able to make a valid will. However, they must have testamentary capacity. This means they must be able to:

  • understand they’re making a will
  • understand that the will determines what will happen to their property after they die
  • appreciate the nature and value of all of the property they own, including what will pass through and outside of the will
  • understand who their next-of-kin are and appreciate that their will should, if possible, provide for their spouse and children and not unfairly exclude them

If someone unduly pressured or influenced the will-maker

Seemingly unreasonable terms in a will can raise the suspicion that the will-maker was pressured, forced or influenced into making them. The court can disallow any gift or inheritance if it was given because of undue influence on the will-maker. In these cases, the will is not considered a reflection of the will-maker’s true desires.

Most people exert some level of influence over those they love. There’s nothing illegal in suggesting to someone that they remember you in their will. But if you threaten to, say, stop taking care of them if they don’t leave you a larger share of their estate, that’s undue influence. Similarly, you can’t:

  • threaten or use violence
  • use heavy persuasion on the will-maker in the final days of their life
  • mentally exhaust them to the point they agree with your requests
  • isolate them
  • continually bad mouth your siblings to get your parent to write them out of the will

Understand the legal process

There are time limits to making challenges

There are deadlines, called limitation periods, that must be met if you want to challenge a will. If you miss the deadlines, it may be too late. If you want to make a claim, you should talk to a lawyer immediately.

A wills variation claim must be started within 180 days from the date the grant of probate or administration is issued by the probate registry. (The grant confirms the will is legally valid and can be acted on.) If a wills variation claim is brought more than 180 days after the grant is issued, the opportunity to bring a legal action to change the will is likely lost.

If you’re thinking of contesting the validity of a will because of mental incapability or undue influence, there’s generally a two-year limitation period to bring your claim. This means you must start your legal action within two years from the date you know — or should have reasonably known — that you have a claim.

The court considers several factors when deciding whether a will is fair

If you make a wills variation claim, the court can decide to change the will if they think it’s fair to do so in your particular circumstances. The court will consider many things when making this decision, including:

  • the will-maker’s reasons for distributing their assets as they did
  • the value and nature of the will-maker’s money and property
  • your financial circumstances
  • the financial circumstances of the other beneficiaries
  • the nature of your relationship with the will-maker
  • whether you financially depended on the will-maker and to what extent
  • any assets passing outside of the estate to you or to others
  • any gifts they made to you or others during their lifetime

The court considers what a reasonable will-maker would have done

If the will reflects irrational anger or favouritism or ignores the genuine needs of the will-maker’s spouse or children, without good reason, the court may change the will to make it fairer. The court can order that the estate provide for the spouse or children in a way that is “adequate, just and equitable” in the circumstances.

Adult children

The courts have generally found that there’s a moral obligation to provide for independent adult children if there are sufficient assets. But sometimes a will-maker’s reasons for leaving their adult child out of the will are valid and rational. In that case the court may say there was no such obligation.

If an adult child with a disability is left out of the will, the court may find there was a moral and legal obligation to provide for them. Sometimes such children are left out of the estate for well-meaning reasons, such as a fear that the money would reduce or stop the adult child’s social-assistance benefits. But that isn’t always how things go. It’s a good idea to consult a lawyer to ensure your dependent adult child gets the maximum amount of money they can.

The court may find that the will-maker wasn’t capable when they made the will

If a court finds that the will-maker was not mentally capable when they made their will, it may decide the will isn’t valid. In these circumstances, if the will-maker:

If the deceased made a written record of how they wanted their estate to be handled — when they were mentally capable — the court can consider it to help learn the deceased’s intentions. This can give documents such as emails, letters, and text messages the same authority as a valid will. The court can then order the estate be distributed based on what they believe the deceased wanted. This part is relatively new to BC’s wills and estates law — so far, courts have been conservative in interpreting it.

The court will cancel a will if there was undue influence or coercion

The court will cancel any will it believes was made under undue influence or coercion. If it’s shown that a person was in a position where they could have dominated the will-maker or made the will-maker depend on them, then that person will have to prove they didn’t unduly influence the will-maker.

Common questions

Do I need to see a lawyer?

If you have a problem like the ones described, you should see a lawyer. These kinds of disputes are typically complex. Your best chance of success is to have an expert take you through the legal process. A lawyer will tell you what steps to take, including what documents you’ll need to file with the court.

When trying to find a lawyer to take your case, feel free to shop around. Ask each lawyer how much it’ll cost. You should be able to get some free estimates. Some lawyers may agree to take a percentage of any amount you receive from the estate as a result of a successful challenge. This is called a contingency fee arrangement. With this type of arrangement, a lawyer will only charge you legal fees if you win the case. Many lawyers will still require you to pay certain expenses called disbursements even if you’re not successful.

What if someone dies without a will?

If someone dies without a will, their estate is distributed according to the law. Generally, the estate goes to the spouse, children, or descendants (for example, grandchildren) of the deceased. If there’s no spouse or descendants, the estate will go to other relatives. Our information on when someone dies without a will explains in more detail how an estate is divided if there is no will.

What if I want to leave my spouse or child out of my will?

If you’re thinking of leaving a spouse or child out of your will, or leaving them less than they might reasonably expect, see a lawyer. Our information on making a will and estate planning explains this in more detail.

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