Do You Need a Lawyer to Draft Your Will?
Published on 29 August 2022, 07:22:56 AM
Your handwritten or holographic Will is precious to you. Make sure it’s legal in Ontario.
Succession laws require testamentary Wills in Ontario to meet certain legal requirements to be upheld in a probate court.
Axess Law’s Wills and estate Ontario lawyers work with your draft to ensure it conforms. We make new Wills when your life circumstances change. We can even advise if you have anything in your Will that may not withstand a court challenge after you’re gone.
Revise Your Will the Right Way
When was the last time you changed or updated your Will? Without knowing exactly what you’re doing, are you sure your original or changes (codicils) are legal?
If you are 18 or older, chances are you have a Will or have thought about it. Putting off making a Will places your assets in a precarious state if anything happens to you — and it can so quickly.
Axess Law advises to make Wills early and often so they are current and correct. We add in formalities you may not know about and revoke old Wills that can cause confusion for estate trustees or beneficiaries. (When there are two Wills, which one is valid?)
New Ontario Wills Laws
Recent changes to Wills laws in Ontario make it vital that you update your Will.
Spousal entitlements if your Will is lost, misplaced or declared invalid significantly increase how much a former or current legally married partner could receive. Children from previous marriages may not fare well unless you make specific provisions for them.
Divorced, remarried or new biological or adopted children are reasons to revisit your Will soon.
Make a Legal Will in Ontario
Your handwritten Will is a great start to ensuring spouses or common law partners and financial dependants like minors or adult children with disabilities are protected when you die. But erasures or crossed-out deletions may not survive probate court.
Bring your Will to us. Axess Law has a basic Wills lawyer in Toronto, Greater Toronto Area or Ottawa who can make your new Will in a few days or less. Axess Law Wills are in writing and signed in front of two legally qualified witnesses. We ensure nothing gets left out that could subject your Will to court challenges.
Complex estate or complicated divorce? We refer you to trusted legal partners for estate planning or spousal support advice.
Correct Mistakes That Could Hold Up Your Estate
Simple spelling errors or things you left out of a Will by mistake can hold up distributing your estate. Family members who relied on you for financial support may be left waiting if your Will requires interpreting by a probate court judge. Even the act of removing a staple to replace a page with an error can cause your Will to be contested in court. (See mistakes every survivor and executor should avoid.)
Appointing Estate Trustees
Appointing multiple estate trustees to execute your Will is a smart move. Have you picked someone you trust, who is financially astute and can keep accurate records? Will your estate trustees communicate well with grieving family members or be distant and unreachable?
They’re all decisions you must make to ensure your Will is distributed as you intended.
What Happens to Lost or Misplaced Wills
A Will you prepared yourself or had a lawyer prepare may be invalid if your family or estate trustee lose or misplace it.
Your entire state could be treated just as if you hadn’t bothered to write a Will at all. A probate court will decide on who gets what if your assets are declared intestate in Ontario.
Spouses or adult children you’ve had falling outs with or distant relatives you’ve never met could inherit when your Ontario Will can’t be found.
Store Wills Securely
Axess Law recommends keeping your final last Will and testament in a locked safe or safety deposit box your estate trustee can access. If desired, we store your personal Will securely for a low, one-time fee of $29.99 plus HST or you can deposit it in a Wills registry at a local courthouse. While photocopies are not legally enforceable, they can be useful for family.
Why You Need a Lawyer
Axess Law’s Wills and estates lawyers (Ontario) draft properly structured Wills.
We make sure all your estate concerns are addressed with a basic Will. If you have business interests, our licensed Wills professionals prepare separate personal and business Wills.
We show you how to calculate and minimize estate administration taxes your estate trustee owes to Ontario probate courts. We suggest ways to reduce taxes paid by loved ones and friends who inherit assets upon your death. We redraft handwritten or holographic Wills or make new Wills if you marry, separate or divorce.
Your Wills are only valid if they are properly signed, witnessed and updated. Axess Law makes Wills in Ontario that conform to legal requirements under current laws.
Cheap Wills Lawyers for Every Budget
Axess Law Wills lawyers draft a new Will, witness and sign it for only $199.99 and up, plus HST. For $249.99 and up plus HST, you can make a power of attorney for personal care and property at the same time.
Primary Wills for personal property and possessions and secondary Wills for business owners with corporate shares cost only $600 and up, plus HST. We draft multiple Wills for any reason you can think of.
Make Virtual or In Person Legal Appointments
Access lawyers in Toronto, Greater Toronto Area or Ottawa or use remote video conferencing to speak with a lawyer from anywhere in Ontario.
Our virtual lawyers for Wills can join you via remote video call from the comfort of your home or office or in person — whatever works best for you. You e-sign documents remotely using our secure, online software, confident in the knowledge virtual Wills are completely legal in Ontario.
In person appointments can be made at any of our Axess Law locations in Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa. We’re open 7 days a week, with convenient day or evening appointments to fit your schedule.
Book Online or By Phone
Make online or in person appointments with our easy online booking form or call our 1-647-479-0118 lawyer line to find a Wills lawyer near you. Toll free calls accepted at 1-877-402-4277. Axess Law has onsite parking and easy transit access.
Call us now if you need a lawyer to write or change your Will.
