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The Different Ways to Make a Will 

Tania Tack • February 26, 2020

Once you’ve decided to make a will, you might be wondering where to begin. Just like there are many ways to arrange for a funeral, there are many ways to make a will. In this article, we explain the different methods of creating a will so that you can get an idea which route is best for you. 

 

Holographic Wills:

A holographic will is handwritten, signed and dated by you. It’s the only type of will that doesn’t need to be witnessed. While it might seem like a simple and cost-effective option, for the majority of us who don’t have a legal background, it’s easy to contradict ourselves or omit necessary components of a will. Holographic wills are not recognized in British Columbia, so if that’s where you live, this is not a valid option. Holographic wills are only recommended as a last-resort option (but planning ahead can help you avoid that).

 

DIY Will Kits:

A DIY will kit is a fill-in-the-blank document that allows you to fill in key pieces of information about your estate. They’re a basic, one-size fits all document, so they offer very little personalization and leave no room for custom requests. Although will kits are inexpensive, ranging from free to around $50, you would have to purchase a new one anytime you go through a life change like moving, getting married/divorced, having a child, adding/removing beneficiaries that are outdated or wanting to switch who is appointed as your executor – so it can add up.

 

Online Will Platforms (like Willful)

An online platform like Willful combines the convenience and affordability of a will kit with the ability to tailor your documents to your unique life situation. An online will platform is ideal for people with simple estates who don’t need legal advice. While Willful wills were crafted with estate lawyers, you customize the documents by answering a series of questions about your unique life situation. One of the major benefits of Willful is that your key information is saved in your account and you have the option to come back and change your will at any time without having to start all over again. Currently, updates are completely free so you don’t have to spend money updating your will every time your life changes or when you want to edit specific parts of your will and other legal documents. 

 

Lawyer-Drafted Wills:

If you have a complex estate (assets in multiple countries, a child with a disability, are separated but not divorced or need lots of custom clauses), making a will with a lawyer may be your best bet. If you want specific legal advice when making your will, you would also need to work with a lawyer. You’ll need a bigger budget to have a lawyer create your will – it can cost $800+ with an estate lawyer. However, you’re paying for their legal expertise so they’ll be able to advise you on how to best deal with any complexities of your estate. 

 

More than half of Canadian adults don’t have a will (57%) and the most common reason is because they just keep putting it off until tomorrow, one day or some day. The worst type of will is the absence of one.  

 

If you pass away without a will, it’s up to the government to use estate laws to distribute your assets, decide on a guardian for any minor children, and appoint an executor. The government may not handle things how you would have wanted them to and the entire process can take so long it could be months (sometimes even years) before your affairs are settled for your loved ones. 

 

So whichever method you choose to make a will, make sure it’s the best fit for your life situation and get it done as soon as possible. Customers of Basic Funerals can now enjoy $20 off any Willful plan with code BASICFUNERALS . Just enter promo code at checkout when you’re ready to pay and discount will automatically apply.  

 

About the Author

Erin Hebert is the Marketing Coordinator at Willful, an online estate planning platform that’s on a mission to make sure every Canadian adult has a will. Willful works with lawyers from each province to ensure their documents are customized to provincial laws and regulations. Trusted by thousands of Canadians coast-to-coast, Willful wants to make sure every family can enjoy peace of mind knowing they have a plan in place for life’s unexpected twists and turns.

 

Why Do Funeral Directors Ask About Pacemakers?

October 7, 2022
Funeral Directors routinely ask families during the arrangement process about pacemakers. Standard safety precautions are in place because of the explosive potential of pacemakers when heated. Pacemakers explode during the cremation process because of the rapid formation of gas which bursts the pacemaker’s casing. An explosion during the cremation process could cause serious damage to the crematorium chamber, as […] The post Why Do Funeral Directors Ask About Pacemakers? appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Ritual of Spring Burials In Local Cemeteries

By Tania Tack • April 29, 2022
When a death occurs in the winter months, it is quite common that the burial can’t take place until the spring. Our region has long, cold winters and this hinders a cemetery’s ability to conduct burials due to the frozen ground. It is not unusal for many families in our smaller communities thoughout Ontario to […] The post The Ritual of Spring Burials In Local Cemeteries appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Death and Taxes

By Tania Tack • March 24, 2022
Tax rules are often complicated and never fun. In the case of pre-arrangements that is no different. When you pre-arrange your funeral there are some things to consider from a tax perspective that we hope to cover here. We will do our best, but unfortunately, we are not accountants and can’t give you personal advice […] The post Death and Taxes appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Grave Woman

By Tania Tack • December 10, 2020
The funeral industry is changing. Catapulting that change are women like The Grave Woman, Joél Simone Anthony. She is based in Atlanta, Georgia, but is making waves all over the United States with her alternative approach to funeral service. We had the pleasure of speaking with her and learning more about her work. Joél Simone Anthony […] The post The Grave Woman appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Intestate: Dying Without A Will and How it Impacts Funeral Arrangements

By Tania Tack • November 24, 2020
Living without a will may relieve a person from having to think about their own mortality. Living without a will may also save a person some time and money. However, dying without a will can cause grave challenges and obstacles for those left behind. Dying in intestate means that the deceased person did not leave a Will. […] The post Intestate: Dying Without A Will and How it Impacts Funeral Arrangements appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Prepare Your Estate: Your Executor Will Thank You

By Tania Tack • November 10, 2020
Being appointed an Executor is often seen as an honour, but it can also be an extremely daunting task. The person selected to look after estate matters is often also likely to be the person grieving the most. In an effort to alleviate the stress associated with being an Executor or Administrator, we have compiled […] The post Prepare Your Estate: Your Executor Will Thank You appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Basic Funerals Awarded Best Rated Funeral Home

By Tania Tack • August 31, 2020
Basic Funerals has been listed as one of the Top 3 Best-Rated Funeral Homes. We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve such welcoming communities. We would not be considered ‘best-rated’ without you! Recognition for Excellence Our team was recognized for providing consistent high quality services in our area of business. We were reviewed by […] The post Basic Funerals Awarded Best Rated Funeral Home appeared first on Basic Funerals.

6 Ways Funerals (Can Still) Help Mourners Grieve

By Tania Tack • July 9, 2020
By guest blogger, Carrie Fawcett: Celebrant Ceremonies like funerals and memorials are intended to both honour the life of a loved one and meet the needs of those left behind. If current public health limits have you question if it is still possible to have a “good” funeral, I encourage you to see those limits […] The post 6 Ways Funerals (Can Still) Help Mourners Grieve appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home

By Tania Tack • June 12, 2020
Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home The long-lasting Covid-19 pandemic still has an impact on how the death industry is able to conduct services. Funeral and memorial services are still limited to small groups of 10 attendees and burials are to happen as soon as possible. Many funeral providers have also implemented new […] The post Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Healing Benefits of Meditation: Introducing Headspace.com

By Tania Tack • May 25, 2020
Basic Funerals and Headspace Promotion Basic Funerals has always worked hard to go beyond the funeral. We care about the families we serve. We understand that these difficult times make it even harder to grieve the death of a loved one. For this reason, we have coordinated an offer with Headspace.com to provide our families […] The post The Healing Benefits of Meditation: Introducing Headspace.com appeared first on Basic Funerals.
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