Making a Will & Accompanying Letter

We are all aware the value of a will.   If you die without a will, the province or state in which you live will decide how to distribute your estate. 

However, you might be surprised how many people die each year without a will.  There are numerous reasons for this major oversight including: those who cannot or will not think about death, those who believe talking about and creating a will may cause problems with their partner or family members, and those who don’t want to spend money on lawyers.

Having a will goes a long way to prevent family arguments.  The guesswork is eliminated and the family is clear on your intentions. Furthermore, a will may save money because without one, the provincial/state authorities are in control and that could mean unnecessary delays and extra costs.

It is not only important to prepare a will, but once you have one, it should be reviewed every two or three years to ensure it is still in line with your wishes.

Accompanying Letter

I strongly recommend you draft a letter to accompany your will.  I speak from personal experience!  When my father died, the family had no information of Jack’s work friends. Days after the funeral, we were receiving calls saying “I just learned of Jack’s passing.  It would have been a blessing to attend his send-off”. The family felt terrible and wished we had known who to contact at the time of Jack’s passing.

Here are suggestions for your accompanying letter:

  1. People to be notified at the time of your death
  2. Listing advanced funeral arrangements (i.e. body burial, type of casket, cremation, hymn requests)
  3. Location of personal papers (i.e. birth and marriage certificate, diplomas, military papers, etc.)
  4. Listing of bank accounts and bank locations (including passwords)
  5. Listing of credit cards
  6. Location of deed and mortgage papers
  7. Listing of insurance policies
  8. Listing of vehicles (provide the location of all keys, including the boat at the cottage)
  9. Income and property taxes paid and owing
  10. Investments including mutual funds, stocks and bonds
  11. Listing and location of valuables
  12. Trusts, loans, money owed to you
  13. Special survivor benefits (i.e. government pension, veterans’ pension, employee pension, etc.)
  14. Passwords to your computer and other devices

With a current will and accompanying letter, you will feel more at ease that your final plans will be fulfilled.  Let one or two family members know where your will and letter are stored and the name and address of your lawyer.  Better yet, give a copy of your accompanying letter to your spouse, a trusted friend and/or family member so when you do pass, they can begin the process of notifying your family and friends and fulfilling your wishes.