Wills
Understanding the legal requirements of wills is essential for anyone planning their estate. When you write a will, you need to follow certain rules so that it’s legal. Registering a will can provide added security, but it’s not required. Someone may challenge your will based on factors like “testamentary capacity,” “undue influence,” or if you haven’t provided for certain family members. All of this requires thinking carefully about what you want and what the law says.
Explore the links below to reliable online guides and tools and to organizations in BC. They have been chosen by librarians at Courthouse Libraries BC.
Selected resources
Preparing a Will & Estate Planning
Practical, step-by-step guides on wills and estates. Learn about several topics including how to prepare a will, choose an executor, change or cancel a will, and probate a will.
Preparing Your Will
Explains why you should consider a will. It provides a step-by-step guide about how to prepare a will, including registering it. It also covers what to consider when appointing an executor, and next steps after the will is finished, including how to change or cancel a will.
Wills Registry
A “wills notice” identifies that a will has been registered and describes the person who made the will, where it’s located, and the date of the will. This website explains how to file one, how to search for one, and when to request one.
Dial-a-Law: Challenging a Will
Practical information on your options for challenging a will. Topics include what’s involved in challenging a spouse’s or parent’s will based on fairness, and challenging the validity of a will.
Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning (BC) Webinar
A webinar to help you learn how to arrange your estate and prepare a will, and the various ins and outs of setting up a trust specifically for your loved one with a disability. It covers the different types of trusts available, and how to arrange your will so it doesn’t affect disability benefits.
LSLAP Manual: Wills and Estate Administration
From the manual used by law students handling cases at LSLAP’s legal clinics. Provides a breakdown of common provisions included in wills. Also covers the execution of wills, and the administration and distribution of estates.