Estate Planning Analysis Worksheet

Add this clause to a Will made in Canada to direct how life insurance proceeds are to be distributed.

• The testator (person making the Will) declares that the proceeds of life insurance policies, except for RRSPs, are to form part of the estate and be paid to the beneficiaries as such.
• This clause is intended to be considered a declaration within the meaning of the Insurance Act (Canada).
• This Canada Will Clause re Insurance Proceeds is a downloadable form in MS Word format.

Have you made a Will yet?

Why should I make a will?

If you were to die intestate (without a valid Will), your loved ones will have to pay court costs and legal fees to administer your estate. They already have enough to deal with after your passing - you can spare them the extra expense and trouble by making a will.

If you own real estate or other assets, whether in Canada or outside of the country, you need to have a Will to make sure your property is distributed in accordance with your wishes.

What is included in the Canada Legal Will Kit and Estate Plan?

This complete Legal Will Kit and Estate Plan for Canadian residents includes everything you need to make your will:

• Last Will and Testament form, with instructions to help you complete the document. Special instructions for Quebec.
• Guide to Making a Will in Canada, which contains information and things you need to know to help you through the process of preparing your Will.
• Legal Requirements for each province and territory.
• Will Information Sheet which is a checklist of information you will need to compile in order to complete your Will.
• Organ Donor Information.
• Estate Plan and Questionnaire developed by a financial planner, to help you decide how you want all your property, investments, stocks and other assets to be preserved during your lifetime and distributed after your death.
• How to Choose an Executor and a Guardian for Minor Children.
• Affidavit of Execution of Will forms as required for Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Yukon.

How do I order the Will Kit?

Just add it to your cart and check out. Your complete Canada Legal Will Kit and Estate Plan will download automatically immediately after purchase.

Are the forms legal across Canada?

This English-language will kit can be used in all provinces and territories. A French-language will is available on request. Please contact our Support Team for details.

Put together all the information you need to create your estate plan with this comprehensive Estate Planning Checklist & Questionnaire for Canadian residents.

What is an estate plan and why do I need one?

The purpose of an estate plan is two-pronged: (1) after your death, to distribute your estate assets to the people or organizations that you designate, and (2) while you're still living, to give someone you trust the authority to make financial and healthcare decisions for you if you become unable to do so.

That's a simplified version, but it pretty much sums up the essence of an estate plan. 

The documents that make up your estate plan will include a Will (sometimes accompanied by the formation of a testamentary trust), a Power of Attorney for financial matters, and a Personal Directive (also called a Living Will, Healthcare Directive or Medical Directive), for healthcare and personal care matters.

Every person who owns assets, investments, or personal property that they want passed on to family members or others needs to have a Will, so that your property and personal items are distributed according to your wishes.

And each of us faces the uncertainty of a future time where we may no longer be able—whether physically or mentally—to make decisions for ourselves.

That is why every Canadian adult should make an estate plan—to ensure your wishes are followed, and to give both you and your loved ones peace of mind.

Learn more about making an estate plan in Canada.

What is the scope of this questionnaire?

The Estate Planning Checklist & Questionnaire will help you compile the data and provide the answers your legal and financial advisors will need to prepare your estate plan documents (will, trust, power of attorney, health care directive, etc.).

The Questionnaire will assist you in pulling together information your advisors and executors will need regarding:

• personal and family information
• assets and investments in your name, or jointly held with others
• life insurance policies
• liabilities you are responsible for
• business information, including farming interests
• personal balance sheet and income statement
• a list of documents your legal and financial advisors will want to review
• digital assets and online accounts

There are two versions of the digital assets section. One version is for your executors, which includes log-in details and information about:

• email accounts
• websites and domains you own
• social media, blogs and other user-generated content
• shopping accounts
• affiliate accounts and online revenue streams (such as Etsy, EBay, Amazon Handmade, Kijiji, etc)
• cryptocurrency accounts
• online banking and investment accounts

The other version of this digital assets section is for your lawyer and financial advisor, and does NOT include any usernames, passwords, passkeys, codes or other log-in details.

Once you have answered all questions in each section, you and your advisors will be able to prepare your estate plan documents with ease.

Learn more about digital assets:  What is a digital footprint? Should it be part of your will?

Templates for Canadians by Canadians

This document makes references to Canadian taxes and registered savings plans, but could be used in other countries with relatively minor changes to the specific questions.

The Estate Planning Checklist & Questionnaire for Canada is available as a downloadable MS Word template. You can reuse this document for other members of your family. Buy once, use as often as you like.

Our document templates are created by human professionals, in some instances with assistance from AI tools. They are always reviewed, vetted and finalized by humans. 

MegaDox.com—supplying you with the documents you need to manage your business and your life since 1999.

Estate Planning in Canada: The Key to Effectively Transferring Your Assets is a 10-page package of information to help Canadians learn how to plan for the future.

• The package contains sections on a variety of related topics, including:
  • the reasons you need a solid estate plan,
  • the tax consequences that could arise upon your death,
  • wills and probate,
  • powers of attorney and personal directives,
  • estate shrinkage and liquidity,
  • the estate planning process and an estate plan checklist.
• Available in PDF format.
• Intended for use only in Canada.