06/30/2023
💡What happens if I pass away and don’t have a will?
If you don’t have a will when you pass away, you are considered to have died “intestate”, and your assets will end up being distributed according to the “intestacy” rules of your province, which may or may not be consistent with your wishes.
What should I include in my list of personal records?
To assist your loved ones in the event you pass away, you should include these items in your list of personal records:
People to contact (e.g. next of kin, executor, employer, lawyer, etc.)
Estate documents (e.g. financial decisions, funeral arrangements, will, organ donation, etc.)
Your personal details (e.g. personal data, digital assets like online accounts, citizenship papers, marriage/divorce certificates, club/association memberships, military service, etc.)
Financial commitments (e.g. rent/mortgage payments, outstanding loans and lines of credit, credit cards, etc.)
Insurance (e.g. life, disability, critical illness, hospital, etc.)
Investments (e.g. mutual funds, annuities, GICs, etc.)
Residence and real estate (e.g. where they are located, who owns the title, etc.)
For example, in some provinces a common-law partner will inherit in the same manner as a married spouse, while in other provinces they will receive nothing upon an intestacy.
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