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Features

For an overview of our products and services, check out our home page.
Below is a list of the key features we provide or are associated with here at LegalWills.ca.
 

Vault for your Digital Assets

Do you have any important digital assets that need to be preserved? You can upload documents, photos, videos, audio, or any other files to your Vault. We keep your Vault secure until the appropriate time You designate one or more Keyholders® who can access your Vault once you have passed away, but not before.

 

Funeral Plan

Why should you document your funeral wishes?  First of all, it is a thoughtful and considerate gesture for your loved ones who would otherwise be faced with a battery of questions and options at a time when they are least capable of dealing with them.  You may have discussed in general terms with your family whether you would rather be buried or cremated, or that you would prefer a big party over a somber get together, but most people do not even consider these basic questions until they reflect on their own mortality.  For many people it is also a difficult subject to discuss seriously and openly with their friends and family.  However, even if you have made your basic wishes known, did you share your views on the overall cost of the funeral service, or who you would like to be present, or any readings or music that you feel would be appropriate at your service?  And what guarantee do you have that your wishes will be remembered or communicated when the time is right?

 

Prewritten Last Messages

If somehow you knew that you were about to suddenly pass away, are there any messages that you wish you could communicate to your family or friends?  Do you have any important information you would like to be communicated after you are gone?  For example, you may want to tell someone how much you loved them, or what you really thought about them.  Or you might want to pass on some instructions, send an expression of thanks to people who influenced your life, or admit to a skeleton in your closet.

 

Last Will and Testament

We have removed the obstacles to writing a Will.  It is convenient, low cost, and simple.  The MyWillTM service steps you through a series of questions in a "wizard" format.  All questions are written in plain language, so you don't have to be a legal expert to create your own Will.  You simply answer the questions, complete the details, and we automatically and instantly format a document that forms the basis of a legal Will, custom-made for your local jurisdiction.  If you live in Canada, this document can then be printed and signed in front of witnesses to become a legally binding document.  There is also plenty of supplementary information to help answer all of your questions.

 

Expatriate Last Will and Testament for assets held in Canada

Do you have assets in Canada but live in a different country? Or do you now live in Canada, but already have a Will covering your assets in your home country?  The MyExpatWill™ (Canada) service steps you through a series of questions in a "wizard" format.  All questions are written in plain language, so you don't have to be a legal expert to create your own Expatriate Will for the property that you hold in Canada.  You simply answer the questions, complete the details, and we automatically and instantly format a document that forms the basis of a legal Expatriate Will, custom-made for the local jurisdiction where your property is held in Canada.

This document can then be printed and signed in front of witnesses to become a legally binding document.  There is also plenty of supplementary information to help answer all of your questions.

 

Expatriate Last Will and Testament for assets held in Québec

Do you have assets in Québec but live in a different country? Or do you now live in Québec, but already have a Will covering your assets in your home country?  The MyExpatWill™ (Québec) service steps you through a series of questions in a "wizard" format.  All questions are written in plain language, so you don't have to be a legal expert to create your own Expatriate Will for the property that you hold in Québec.  You simply answer the questions, complete the details, and we automatically and instantly format a document that forms the basis of a legal Expatriate Will, custom-made for the local jurisdiction where your property is held in Québec.

This document can then be printed and signed in front of witnesses to become a legally binding document.  There is also plenty of supplementary information to help answer all of your questions.

 

Expatriate Last Will and Testament for assets held in the U.S.

Do you have assets in the United States but live in a different country? Or do you now live in the United States, but already have a Will covering your assets in your home country?  The MyExpatWill™ (U.S.) service steps you through a series of questions in a "wizard" format.  All questions are written in plain language, so you don't have to be a legal expert to create your own Expatriate Will for the property that you hold in the United States.  You simply answer the questions, complete the details, and we automatically and instantly format a document that forms the basis of a legal Expatriate Will, custom-made for the local jurisdiction where your property is held in the United States.

This document can then be printed and signed in front of witnesses to become a legally binding document.  There is also plenty of supplementary information to help answer all of your questions.

 

Expatriate Last Will and Testament for assets held in the U.K.

Do you have assets in England or Wales but live in a different country? Or do you now live in England or Wales, but already have a Will covering your assets in your home country?  The MyExpatWill™ (U.K.) service steps you through a series of questions in a "wizard" format.  All questions are written in plain language, so you don't have to be a legal expert to create your own Expatriate Will for the property that you hold in England or Wales.  You simply answer the questions, complete the details, and we automatically and instantly format a document that forms the basis of a legal Expatriate Will, custom-made for England and Wales.

This document can then be printed and signed in front of witnesses to become a legally binding document.  There is also plenty of supplementary information to help answer all of your questions.

 

Power of Attorney

What if you were in a coma, or otherwise incapacitated such that you were unable to communicate?  Or struck with a disease or other tragedy which affected your mind?  Who should control your finances, or your assets?  The MyPowerOfAttorney™ service here at LegalWills.ca ensures that your wishes in these and other unexpected circumstances are heard, understood, and carried out to your specifications.

 

Living Will

Most people die in hospitals and often this is after receiving treatment administered in an effort to prolong a person's life.  Medical staff are duty bound to use everything within the powers of modern medicine to keep a patient alive as long as possible, and within those powers there are regulations to be followed.  Medical staff are obliged to preserve a patient's life without necessarily considering the financial or emotional concerns of the patient and loved ones.

 

Life Locker

What is Life Locker?

  • Information management system
  • Document management system
  • Data management system
  • Life organizer
  • Personal information manager
  • Information organizer

Store and maintain personal information that is critical to be passed on to your family, or to the executor(s) of your Will, after you have passed away.  Let us worry about getting this information to your designated individuals when the time is right.

We all want to be better organized. But a lot of us never seem to have the time or the system to make it happen. We'll get stressed and frustrated, looking for important details. We'll kick ourselves for wasting time. But we'll eventually get back into the flow of our busy everyday lives – until some other vital piece of missing information turns our lives upside down again for awhile. But life goes on, right? Well, what if life didn't go on? What if you got hit by that proverbial bus? All of a sudden you're gone – and others in your life have to try and piece together the crucial details in your life. It's not anything you want to think about, but it is something you should consider.

Store personal information critical to be passed on to your family and Executor.  Keep all of your important information documented in one place, so that your Executor and Keyholders® can administer your estate easily and effectively.  Anyone who has to organize, manage and safeguard personal information will find MyLifeLocker™ invaluable.

The work of an Executor is challenging.  They must gather your assets and contact the important people in your life.  It is important that your Executor can find all of your assets including bank accounts, possessions, property, and even online accounts.  You can make this task easy by tracking this information in MyLifeLocker™.  Store your important information securely and nominate Keyholders® who can access the information at the appropriate time.

MyLifeLocker™ is the perfect solution.  First, it puts everything important to you in one central place, so that no matter what happens, all your life details are located in one spot.  Secondly, having MyLifeLocker™ gives you incredible peace-of-mind.  Those hundreds of little details swirling around can be retrieved easily – whether it's by you today or tomorrow, or by someone close to you at some point in the future.

MyLifeLocker™ creates a safe repository of your important personal information.  Enjoy peace-of-mind, knowing that if something happens to you, your family can easily find the information they need.

 

Advance Directives

Advance directives give you a voice in decisions about your medical care when you are unconscious or too ill to communicate. As long as you are able to express your own decisions, your advance directives will not be used and you can accept or refuse any medical treatment. But if you become seriously ill, you may lose the ability to participate in decisions about your own treatment.

 

Burial

What is burial?  Body burial or direct burial simply means placing a body in the ground after death. The term now also covers storing the whole body above-ground in a mausoleum, vault or other type of crypt. While cremation is gaining popularity, most bodies in North America are buried. They are generally placed in some type of receptacle placed in the ground or stored above ground.

 

Cremation

What is cremation?  When a body is cremated, it is heated intensely -- 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit or higher -- in an oven-like device called a "retort". It is reduced to several pounds of ash and some fragments of bones, called "cremains" (cremated remains) or they may simply be referred to as "ashes". The entire process takes from two to three hours. Larger bone fragments within the ashes are usually pulverized before being gathered. The ashes can then be placed in an urn or other container to be given to a relative, buried, or entombed in a cemetery or a "columbarium", an arrangement of niches in a wall or a room where urns can be placed as a permanent memorial. Alternatively, ashes can be scattered on land or over water, depending on local laws and restrictions.

 

Death and Dying

LegalWills.ca is dedicated to providing services related to death and dying and advance directives prior to one's death.  Estate planning while you are still healthy is a wise course of action, to ensure that your wishes are carried out the way you would like them to be.  Unfortunately, death and taxes are an unavoidable part of life in today's society.  Estate taxes and death taxes can be handled more appropriately in advance, by minimizing the estate tax impacts to your survivors.

 

Digital Signatures

What is a digital signature?  A digital signature is a convenient, time-saving, and secure way of signing electronic documents.  It is an electronic signature which can be used in all types of electronic information transfer.  The differences between digital signatures and other electronic signatures are significant, not only in terms of process and results, but also because those differences make a digital signature more serviceable for legal purposes.  However, some electronic signatures, though perhaps legally recognizable as signatures, may not be as secure as digital signatures, and may lead to uncertainty and disputes.

 

Euthanasia

What is euthanasia?  Euthanasia is the act of intentionally causing the death of a patient, normally to relieve the patient's pain, suffering, or loss of quality of life. To be considered euthanasia, the act must be performed by a third party. For example, giving a patient a lethal injection would be considered euthanasia.

 

Executor of a Will

If you are the executor of the Will of a member here at LegalWills.ca, you probably have a lot of questions about your responsibilities. Here you will find a good summary of the steps that must be followed, as well as some additional information about your responsibilities.

 

Financial Estate Planning

Estate planning is a lifelong process in which you evaluate your situation and plan for the future. It includes planning for your retirement, for the possibility of disability, and for death. The estate planning process requires that you consider a wide range of legal, financial, emotional, and logistical issues.  Proper estate planning will also allow you to minimize estate taxes and death taxes.

 

Funeral Home

There are a number of good reasons to pre-arrange your own funeral.  First of all, it is a thoughtful and considerate gesture for your loved ones who would otherwise be faced with a battery of questions and options at a time when they are least capable of dealing with them.  You may have discussed in general terms with your family whether you would rather be buried or cremated, or that you would prefer a big party over a somber get together, but most people do not even consider these basic questions until they reflect on their own mortality.  For many people it is also a difficult subject to discuss seriously and openly with your friends and family.  However, even if you have made your basic wishes known, did you share your views on the overall cost of the funeral service, or who you would like to be present, or any readings or music that you feel would be appropriate at your service?  And what guarantee do you have that your wishes will be remembered or communicated when the time is right?

 

Obituary

You can either write the obituary yourself, or you can appoint somebody else to write it.  If it is written by somebody else, it will usually be a tribute to how you impacted the lives of your friends and loved ones.  It will celebrate your life and mourn your passing.  If it is written by yourself, you can include an account of your life, paying tribute to those who have touched you.  You can write whatever is important to you, but there may be restrictions on the length of the obituary based on the publication that you choose.  The obituary should be published a few days before the memorial service as it should include details of the time and location of the service and any donations that may be made.

 

Organ Donation

Many of your internal organs are still functional after you have died. Organ donation is a process to surgically remove useful organs after you have died, and pass these to recipients who are otherwise healthy, but need a particular functional organ. In North America alone over 50 people receive organs each day but there are currently tens of thousands of patients waiting to receive functional organs. Often these people are in life threatening conditions.

 

Signing a Will

In order to make a Will a legal document, you should first print it and read it thoroughly. Make sure that it accurately reflects your wishes and that you understand everything that is contained in the document. Once you are happy that it reflects your wishes, you must sign your Will in the presence of at least two witnesses (three in some jurisdictions), and these witnesses must also sign the Will, in the presence of the "testator" (yourself) and in the presence of each other. You and the witnesses should also initial each page, so that it is not possible to alter any pages after the Will has been signed. A witness cannot be a beneficiary of the Will, they cannot be the spouse of a beneficiary (at the time of signing), they cannot be a minor, and, like the "testator" (you), they must be of sound mind.

 

How To Write a Will

The vast majority of people do not have a Will.  Some people feel that they do not need one because they believe that the distribution of their estate is obvious.  Others find it to be too time consuming to get organized, find a lawyer, arrange appointments and attend meetings during their already busy schedules.  Many feel that the lawyers' fees surrounding the creation and maintenance of a Will are too expensive.  Most people do not know how to write a will.

 

How To Create a Power Of Attorney

What if you were in a coma, or otherwise incapacitated such that you were unable to communicate?  Or struck with a disease or other tragedy which affected your mind?  Who should control your finances, or your assets?  The MyPowerOfAttorney™ service here at LegalWills.ca ensures that your wishes in these and other unexpected circumstances are heard, understood, and carried out to your specifications.

 

How To Write a Living Will

A Living Will gives you some say in the way you will be treated before you die, in a situation where death is otherwise inevitable.  This can be used in two ways --- to put a swift end to intolerable suffering, or to endorse the use of experimental treatment to try and save your life if at all possible.  Most people die in hospitals and often this is after receiving treatment administered in an effort to prolong a person's life.  Medical staff are duty bound to use everything within the powers of modern medicine to keep a patient alive as long as possible, and within those powers there are regulations to be followed.  Medical staff are obliged to preserve a patient's life without necessarily considering the financial or emotional concerns of the patient and loved ones.

 

News

CBC's Market Place attacks the Canadian National Will Kit

National Will Kit.  On a show first broadcast in 2001, the consumer affairs TV show 'Market Place' attacked a product called the Canadian National Will Kit, and questioned the use of all Do-It-Yourself Will kits.

CBC's Market Place attacks the Canadian National Will Guide

National Will Guide.  On a show first broadcast in 2001, the consumer affairs TV show 'Market Place' attacked a product called the Canadian National Will Guide, and questioned the use of all Do-It-Yourself Will kits.

CBC's Market Place attacks the Complete Canadian Will Guide

Canadian Will Guide.  On a show first broadcast in 2001, the consumer affairs TV show 'Market Place' attacked a product called the Complete Canadian Will Guide, and questioned the use of all Do-It-Yourself Will kits.

 

Writing a Last Will and Testament

We have removed the obstacles to writing a Will.  It is convenient, low cost, and simple.  The MyWill™ service steps you through a series of questions in a "wizard" format.  All questions are written in plain language, so you don't have to be a legal expert to create your own Will.  You simply answer the questions, complete the details, and we automatically and instantly format a document that forms the basis of a legal Will, custom-made for your local jurisdiction.  If you live in Canada, this document can then be printed and signed in front of witnesses to become a legally binding document.  There is also plenty of supplementary information to help answer all of your questions.

Do not put it off any longer.  The vast majority of people do not have a Will.  Some people feel that they do not need one because they believe that the distribution of their estate is obvious.  Others find it to be too time consuming to get organized, find a lawyer, arrange appointments and attend meetings during their already busy schedules.  Many feel that the lawyers' fees surrounding the creation and maintenance of a Will are too expensive.  Whatever your reason may be, you should know that it is extremely important that you have an up to date Will.  If you die without a Will, the courts will decide how your estate is distributed, and this may not be in the best interests of your loved ones.  It is impossible for us to know how your estate will be distributed, but we do know that if you have a Will, then the decisions are in your hands.

Services such as MyFuneral™, MyLifeLocker™, MyVault™, and MyMessages™ do not create legal documents and make no assumptions about your country of residence. 

In the US, Canada, England and Wales, we have worked extensively to ensure that the legal documents created by the MyWill™, MyExpatWill™, MyPowerOfAttorney™ and MyLivingWill™ services are up to date with the laws in all of the states in the United States and the provinces in Canada, including: Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Arizona, Arkansas, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Yukon.  Hence, these services can be used to generate legal documents in any state in the United States with the exception of Louisiana, and any Canadian Province or Territory, and in England and Wales in the United Kingdom.

Furthermore, the MyPowerOfAttorney™ service is available for all States in the United States except Louisiana, and for all Provinces and Territories in Canada. In the UK, power of attorney forms are provided free of charge by the government.

Note that even in unsupported areas, there is value in stepping through the wizards provided in these services in preparation for a consultation with an attorney.  It is strongly recommended that residents outside of the above supported states/provinces/countries seek legal advice even after completing the wizards. Local laws in these unsupported areas have not been considered in the structure of the legal documents.

If you have any doubts about the legal standing of any documents in your jurisdiction, feel free to seek legal counsel in your area to have your documents reviewed.

Here is a listing of the states, provinces and countries we currently support for creating a will using the MyWill™ and MyExpatWill™ services:

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Alabama

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Alaska

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Alberta

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Arizona

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Arkansas

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in British Columbia

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in California

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Colorado

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Connecticut

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Delaware

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in District of Columbia

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Florida

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Georgia

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Hawaii

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Idaho

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Illinois

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Indiana

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Iowa

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Kansas

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Kentucky

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Maine

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Manitoba

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Maryland

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Massachusetts

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Michigan

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Minnesota

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Mississippi

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Missouri

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Montana

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Nebraska

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Nevada

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in New Brunswick

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Newfoundland and Labrador

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in New Hampshire

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in New Jersey

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in New Mexico

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in New York

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in North Carolina

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in North Dakota

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Northwest Territories

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Nova Scotia

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Nunavut

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Ohio

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Oklahoma

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Ontario

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Oregon

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Pennsylvania

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Prince Edward Island

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Québec

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Rhode Island

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Saskatchewan

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in South Carolina

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in South Dakota

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Tennessee

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Texas

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Utah

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Vermont

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Virginia

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Washington

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Washington D.C.

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in West Virginia

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Wisconsin

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Wyoming

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Yukon

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in England

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in Wales

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in the United Kingdom

How to Write a Last Will and Testament in the UK 

How to Write an Expatriate Last Will and Testament (Expat Will) in Canada

How to Write an Expatriate Last Will and Testament (Expat Will) in Québec

How to Write an Expatriate Last Will and Testament (Expat Will) in the United States

How to Write an Expatriate Last Will and Testament (Expat Will) in the U.S.

How to Write an Expatriate Last Will and Testament (Expat Will) in the United Kingdom

How to Write an Expatriate Last Will and Testament (Expat Will) in the U.K.

How to Write an Expatriate Last Will and Testament (Expat Will) in England

How to Write an Expatriate Last Will and Testament (Expat Will) in Wales

 

Writing a Power of Attorney

Why do you need a Power of Attorney?  What if you were in a coma, or otherwise incapacitated such that you were unable to communicate?  Or struck with a disease or other tragedy which affected your mind?  Who should control your finances, or your assets?  The MyPowerOfAttorney™ service here at LegalWills.ca ensures that your wishes in these and other unexpected circumstances are heard, understood, and carried out to your specifications.

We have removed the obstacles to writing a Power of Attorney.  It is convenient, low cost, and simple.  The MyPowerOfAttorney™ service steps you through a series of questions in a "wizard" format.  It will ask you about your wishes regarding who should act on your behalf for legal, financial or business matters.  All questions are written in plain language, so you don't have to be a legal expert to create your own Power of Attorney.  You simply answer the questions about your wishes and we automatically and instantly format a document that forms the basis of a legal Power of Attorney, custom-made for your local jurisdiction.  If you live in the U.S. or Canada, this document can then be printed and signed in front of witnesses to become a legally binding document.  There is also plenty of supplementary information to help answer all of your questions.

Services such as MyFuneral™, MyLifeLocker™, MyVault™, and MyMessages™ do not create legal documents and make no assumptions about your country of residence. 

In the US, Canada, England and Wales, we have worked extensively to ensure that the legal documents created by the MyWill™, MyExpatWill™, MyPowerOfAttorney™ and MyLivingWill™ services are up to date with the laws in all of the states in the United States and the provinces in Canada, including: Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Arizona, Arkansas, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Yukon.  Hence, these services can be used to generate legal documents in any state in the United States with the exception of Louisiana, and any Canadian Province or Territory, and in England and Wales in the United Kingdom.

Furthermore, the MyPowerOfAttorney™ service is available for all States in the United States except Louisiana, and for all Provinces and Territories in Canada. In the UK, power of attorney forms are provided free of charge by the government.

Note that even in unsupported areas, there is value in stepping through the wizards provided in these services in preparation for a consultation with an attorney.  It is strongly recommended that residents outside of the above supported states/provinces/countries seek legal advice even after completing the wizards. Local laws in these unsupported areas have not been considered in the structure of the legal documents.

If you have any doubts about the legal standing of any documents in your jurisdiction, feel free to seek legal counsel in your area to have your documents reviewed.

Here is a listing of the states, provinces and countries we currently support for creating a will using the MyPowerOfAttorney™ service:

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Alabama

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Alaska

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Alberta

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Arizona

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Arkansas

How to Create a Power of Attorney in British Columbia

How to Create a Power of Attorney in California

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Colorado

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Connecticut

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Delaware

How to Create a Power of Attorney in District of Columbia

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Florida

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Georgia

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Hawaii

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Idaho

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Illinois

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Indiana

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Iowa

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Kansas

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Kentucky

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Maine

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Manitoba

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Maryland

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Massachusetts

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Michigan

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Minnesota

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Mississippi

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Missouri

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Montana

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Nebraska

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Nevada

How to Create a Power of Attorney in New Brunswick

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Newfoundland and Labrador

How to Create a Power of Attorney in New Hampshire

How to Create a Power of Attorney in New Jersey

How to Create a Power of Attorney in New Mexico

How to Create a Power of Attorney in New York

How to Create a Power of Attorney in North Carolina

How to Create a Power of Attorney in North Dakota

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Northwest Territories

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Nova Scotia

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Nunavut

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Ohio

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Oklahoma

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Ontario

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Oregon

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Pennsylvania

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Prince Edward Island

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Québec

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Rhode Island

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Saskatchewan

How to Create a Power of Attorney in South Carolina

How to Create a Power of Attorney in South Dakota

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Tennessee

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Texas

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Utah

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Vermont

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Virginia

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Washington

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Washington D.C.

How to Create a Power of Attorney in West Virginia

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Wisconsin

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Wyoming

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Yukon

How to Create a Power of Attorney in England

How to Create a Power of Attorney in Wales

How to Create a Power of Attorney in the United Kingdom

How to Create a Power of Attorney in the UK 

 

Writing a Living Will

We have removed the obstacles to writing a Living Will.  It is convenient, low cost, and simple. The MyLivingWill™ service steps you through a series of questions in a "wizard" format.  It will ask you about your wishes regarding different types of treatment under different conditions, and allow you to set up your Advance Directives --- your Living Will (U.S., Canada, England & Wales) and Power of Attorney for Health Care (U.S. & Canada only).  All questions are written in plain language, so you don't have to be a legal expert to create your own Advance Directives.  You simply answer the questions about your medical care wishes and we automatically and instantly format a document that forms the basis of a legal Living Will and Power of Attorney for Health Care, custom-made for your local jurisdiction.  If you live in the U.S., Canada, England or Wales, the documents can then be printed and signed in front of witnesses to become legally binding documents.  There is also plenty of supplementary information to help answer all of your questions.

A Living Will gives you some say in the way you will be treated before you die, in a situation where death is otherwise inevitable.  This can be used in two ways --- to put a swift end to intolerable suffering, or to endorse the use of experimental treatment to try and save your life if at all possible.  Most people die in hospitals and often this is after receiving treatment administered in an effort to prolong a person's life.  Medical staff are duty bound to use everything within the powers of modern medicine to keep a patient alive as long as possible, and within those powers there are regulations to be followed.  Medical staff are obliged to preserve a patient's life without necessarily considering the financial or emotional concerns of the patient and loved ones.

Services such as MyFuneral™, MyLifeLocker™, MyVault™, and MyMessages™ do not create legal documents and make no assumptions about your country of residence. 

In the US, Canada, England and Wales, we have worked extensively to ensure that the legal documents created by the MyWill™, MyExpatWill™, MyPowerOfAttorney™ and MyLivingWill™ services are up to date with the laws in all of the states in the United States and the provinces in Canada, including: Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Arizona, Arkansas, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Yukon.  Hence, these services can be used to generate legal documents in any state in the United States with the exception of Louisiana, and any Canadian Province or Territory, and in England and Wales in the United Kingdom.

Furthermore, the MyPowerOfAttorney™ service is available for all States in the United States except Louisiana, and for all Provinces and Territories in Canada. In the UK, power of attorney forms are provided free of charge by the government.

Note that even in unsupported areas, there is value in stepping through the wizards provided in these services in preparation for a consultation with an attorney.  It is strongly recommended that residents outside of the above supported states/provinces/countries seek legal advice even after completing the wizards. Local laws in these unsupported areas have not been considered in the structure of the legal documents.

If you have any doubts about the legal standing of any documents in your jurisdiction, feel free to seek legal counsel in your area to have your documents reviewed.

Here is a listing of the states, provinces and countries we currently support for creating a will using the MyLivingWill™ service:

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Alabama

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Alaska

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Alberta

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Arizona

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Arkansas

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in British Columbia

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in California

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Colorado

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Connecticut

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Delaware

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in District of Columbia

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Florida

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Georgia

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Hawaii

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Idaho

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Illinois

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Indiana

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Iowa

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Kansas

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Kentucky

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Maine

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Manitoba

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Maryland

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Massachusetts

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Michigan

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Minnesota

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Mississippi

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Missouri

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Montana

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Nebraska

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Nevada

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in New Brunswick

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Newfoundland and Labrador

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in New Hampshire

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in New Jersey

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in New Mexico

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in New York

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in North Carolina

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in North Dakota

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Northwest Territories

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Nova Scotia

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Nunavut

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Ohio

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Oklahoma

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Ontario

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Oregon

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Pennsylvania

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Prince Edward Island

How to Write a Living Will / Protection Mandate Advance Directive in Québec

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Rhode Island

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Saskatchewan

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in South Carolina

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in South Dakota

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Tennessee

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Texas

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Utah

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Vermont

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Virginia

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Washington

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Washington D.C.

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in West Virginia

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Wisconsin

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Wyoming

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Yukon

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in England

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in Wales

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in the United Kingdom

How to Write a Living Will / Power of Attorney for Health Care Advance Directive in the UK 

 

Probate Fees

Probate fees (or estate administration tax) is calculated on the total value, in Canadian dollars, of a deceased person's estate.

Every Province and Territory in Canada has its own formula for calculating the probate fees payable.

Alberta Probate Fee Calculator

British Columbia Probate Fee Calculator

BC Probate Fee Calculator

Manitoba Probate Fee Calculator

New Brunswick Probate Fee Calculator

Newfoundland and Labrador Probate Fee Calculator

Northwest Territories Probate Fee Calculator

Nova Scotia Probate Fee Calculator

Nunavut Probate Fee Calculator

Ontario Probate Fee Calculator

Prince Edward Island Probate Fee Calculator

PEI Probate Fee Calculator

Québec Probate Fee Calculator

Saskatchewan Probate Fee Calculator

Yukon Probate Fee Calculator

Canadian Probate Fee Calculator

 

Want to create an online memorial for a family Pet? Visit www.ILovedMyPet.com

 

How It Works

When you create a Will or legal document at LegalWills, you can designate up to 20 different Keyholders®. Your chosen Keyholders® will be given the trust and power to unlock specific information within your account such as health care directives, funeral wishes, final messages, uploaded files, Power of Attorney, or Last Will and Testament.

You can also implement security mechanisms to prevent premature access to these documents. The entire process of creating your Will and other legal documents at LegalWills is seamless and iterative, meaning you can continue to make changes until you're happy with the final product.

Create Your Documents in Five Easy Steps

file
Create Your Documents

Creating your documents is quick and easy with LegalWills. Simply fill out the required fields and proceed to the next step.

key
Select Your Keyholders®

Entrust up to 20 individuals to unlock your wishes when the time is right.

pencil
Edit Your Documents for Up To One Year for Free

Make any changes to your documents using our online service.

lock
Keyholders® Request Access

When the time is right, your selected Keyholders® will have the ability to unlock your wishes.

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Documents are Released to Keyholders®

When the time comes and your Keyholders® request access to your documents, your wishes will be entrusted in their hands.

View Sample Will
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Frequently Asked Questions

There is no requirement to use the services of a lawyer or notary public to prepare your own estate planning documents, including your Last Will and Testament.

The law that defines the legality of a Will is written specifically for each Province, State and Country, but in summary the law requires that the Will is written on a piece of paper and signed in the presence of two witnesses who cannot be beneficiaries to the Will.

Lawyers can certainly help you to prepare your Will, but everybody has a legal right to write their own Will. If you create a document using our service, it must be printed, signed and witnessed according to our instructions, and then it becomes a legal Last Will and Testament.
Quite simply, because we do not provide you with legal advice.

We are giving you direct access to the same software that lawyers use to prepare their documents, but you are doing it yourself. However, if you need custom clauses written to cover an unusual situation, we cannot do that, and we recommend that you seek legal advice. For example, if you have a child with special needs, they would need a trust written for their inheritance. We don't do that.

In most cases, a document written using our service will be word-for-word identical to one prepared by a lawyer.

For a more thorough explanation, please read our blog article: The Cost of a Will in Canada – Explained.

There are no other payments required to prepare your legal Will. You can have a legal Will in your hands for $49.95CAD with nothing else to pay, ever.

What other options are there?
If you wish, you can have your Will reviewed by one of our lawyers for $69.00CAD. Most people do not need this, and would not benefit from it, but if you have selected an option such as "None of the above. Let me describe in detail how to distribute my estate.", then you may want to consider this. (Currently not available in Ontario.)

Your Will must first be printed, and then signed in the presence of two witnesses. If you do not have access to a printer, we can print it for you and mail it out. The cost for this is $9.95CAD, but again, most people do not need this option.

We also offer other services like MyLifeLocker™, a Financial Power of Attorney, and a Living Will. They are not required, but they may be useful to you depending on your situation.

What about document storage?
We do not store physical documents, but we allow you to maintain an account with us if you want to update your document in the future.

The Will service costs $49.95CAD. With this payment, you are able to prepare your Will. It also gives you one year of unlimited updates to the document. You are able to print the document as often as you wish during that first year. You can download it as a PDF or Word file, but to make your document a legal Will, it must first be printed, and then signed in the presence of two witnesses. The online version is there for your convenience only.

If you choose not to maintain an account with us after the first year, your initial payment is all you will ever pay. We do not keep credit card details on file and cannot automatically charge beyond this initial payment.

If you wish, you can choose to store your documents online for longer than a year, which will make it easier to make updates in the future to reflect any changes in your personal or financial situation (rather than returning to a lawyer each time). This is of course optional, but it does make the process of maintaining your document more convenient. $11.95CAD will give you one additional year of updates, or you can purchase multiple years: 5 years at $29.95CAD, 10 years at $39.95CAD, 25 years at $79.95CAD ($3.20CAD per year).

Every time you make an update to your Will, it must first be printed, and then signed in the presence of two witnesses again. If you choose not to maintain an account with us, you will always have your printed, signed document. If you don't need to make changes to that document, it will last you for the rest of your life, whether or not you have an account with us.

What happens if I don't maintain an account, and then in a few years I need to update it?
If your account has not been touched in years, and it is inactive, we reserve the right to remove the account. You will receive an email notification that your account might be removed. However, in practice, we have never actually removed any accounts in our over 24 years of operation.

So, in all likelihood, you will be able to simply login to your account and pay $11.95CAD to reactivate it. This will give you one year of unlimited updates from the date of payment. (You will not have to pay for your inactive years.)

Yes.  A Power of Attorney (also known as a Power of Attorney for Finances) and Living Will (also known as a Power of Attorney for Health Care), are very important documents that should be created and updated at the same time as your Will.

This website allows you to create a Will, Expatriate Will, Power of Attorney and Living Will .
Here are just a few differences:

  • We have designed our legal document creation services to be of the best quality available today.    We have evaluated many existing do-it-yourself kits and web-based services, including several of the most popular Canadian legal will kits. We were shocked by the poor quality, limited instructions, and low value for money that many of these do-it-yourself kits provide consumers. 

  • Incredible value for money.   Our membership pricing model allows us to provide you with the most value for your money at prices that are unprecedented in the legal industry. We worked with lawyers to bring you this service, and we paid for their legal services so you don't have to. 

  • Plain language help and instructions.  In addition, all of our services provide you with complete instructions and answer your questions in everyday language, free of legal industry jargon.  We have developed our services based on the requirements of the public, not dictated by the legal profession.  Our wizards, help and information are also designed to be the best on the market and are kept up-to-date on an ongoing basis.  

  • Create your Will from the comfort of your own home.  No lawyer required.  Our unique approach allows you to make use of the ultimate convenience of the Internet to write your Will at your own pace, online, and to make changes online at any time free of charge. 

  • Free unlimited updates.  Don't pay a lawyer every time you need to update your Will. We allow your Will to be kept securely online so that you can make free unlimited updates for as long as you are a member.

  • You can still have it reviewed by a lawyer. We have worked with lawyers in Canada to bring you these services and to ensure that they are of the highest quality. But if you wish, we can still arrange for your documents to be reviewed by one of our lawyers, who will check the documents for consistency and completeness. (Currently not available in Ontario.)

  • The Keyholder® Advantage. You can take advantage of our unique messaging service which allows you to describe the exact location of your Will and to provide a detailed list of assets for your Executor. All for no extra charge. When you pass away, let us worry about communicating this information to the people you specify. There is simply no other company that provides such a complete and convenient service to their customers. For more information, read about The Keyholder® Advantage .

  • We employ a strong focus on protecting the privacy and security of your information.   We use industry standard encryption algorithms for storing all of your private information, and the design of our services ensures that the contents of your information are made available to the specific people designated by yourself, and only at the appropriate time. 

  • Keep informed and up to date.  If you wish, we can inform you by email about any changes in legislation which may have occurred in your jurisdiction that may require changes to your Will.  Or we can send you simple email reminders, no more than once a year, to remind you to consider updating your Will if any significant changes have occurred in your life.  

Other websites and do-it-yourself kits simply do not compare.

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