A will is a written document in which you describe what should happen to your property after you die. It must follow certain rules to be considered valid (legal). If you are registered under the Indian Act and you live on reserve, the process for creating and administering a will is guided by the Indian Act.

Good starting points include:

• Writing Your Own Will: A Guide for First Nations People Living On Reserve, from the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of BC, describes how to make a will if you are a registered Indian living on reserve. It also includes blank examples of wills.
• Aboriginal People and the Law in British Columbia, from the Legal Services Society, is a guide for legal advocates about Aboriginal issues including wills and estates of Aboriginal people who live on reserve. See the chapter, “Wills and Estates.”
• Estate Administration On-Reserve: A Guide for Executors and Administrators in British Columbia, by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, is a guide that provides general information on administering simple estates under the Indian Act. It is designed to be used with the Estate Administration on Reserve Templates Package, which contains forms and sample letters.

tags

living on reserve, Aboriginal rights, settling the estate of a registered Indian, status Indian, making a will,