Thinking and talking about death can be overwhelming.
It can also be an uncomfortable conversation to have with our loved ones. (Not to mention stressful and expensive!)
But, many Canadian companies are improving the experience of end-of-life planning. They are changing the way we plan, talk, think, and deal with death.
At Willful our mission is to provide peace of mind for all Canadians through estate planning. So here are some of our favourite Canadian products and services that are also innovating the inevitable.
Innovating The Way We Plan
Making an estate plan forces you to consider what will happen to your assets and financial resources in the future, including when we pass away. The Canadian company, Wealthsimple, launched in 2014 and is innovating the way individuals manage and invest their money.
Estate planning includes asking yourself questions like what should happen to your wealth when you pass away. Their forward-thinking financial tools help individuals grow and manage their money. Who doesn’t love money?! We all want our finances to grow - for our own future and for our families.
The earlier you begin retirement and end-of-life planning, the more time your money has to grow. Wealth Simple also can help you save an emergency fund – which is especially important when thinking about the unexpected.
Planning For Our Digital Footprints
While wills outline our wishes for when we pass away, most wills don’t directly deal with how our digital accounts should be handled. In 2017, a Canadian company, DCS, created a solution to this problem.
DCS works with consumers and estate planners to set up arrangements for various accounts as well as devices like your laptop, tablet, and phone. You can register all of your digital accounts with DCS, together with your disposal preferences, in a manner that complies with legal requirements and terms of service agreements.
Having a plan for your digital assets prevents individuals from forgetting about important financial accounts or being exposed to identify fraud. As digital financial assets like cryptocurrencies gain popularity, the importance of planning increases.
Nowadays we all have multiple accounts and passwords. DCS’s solution is an innovative tool to help share this information with our loved ones after we pass away.
Almost half of Canadian millennials don’t have anyone who knows their passwords in the event of an emergency. A password management tool like 1Password (another Canadian company!) can help keep your digital accounts safe from day to day.
We’ve made planning for your assets easy. Learn more about how to create your asset list with Willful→
Making The Hardship A Little Easier
When a loved one dies, the last place we should be is in a funeral home making arrangements with a stranger. In 2019, Eirene created a modern solution to cremation. They are Canada’s first and only online cremation service, helping make a difficult moment just a bit easier.
You can use Eirene to completely arrange a last disposition for you or a loved one online or over the phone. After a person passes away, Eirene collects the body, transports it to one of their partner cemeteries or aquamation facilities (which decomposes the body using an alkali solution), and then personally delivers the remains to the family.
Supporting Grieving Families
When a loved one dies, there are many tasks and decisions ahead. Afterword launched in 2020 to assist families in hosting virtual services and to collaborate with funeral homes to make their services available online.
Afterword strives to make you feel less alone during the difficult grieving process. They serve as a liaison between funeral homes and healthcare institutions. By working together with healthcare providers to equip them with resources and techniques for mourning, they also inform families of the several funeral options. Then they pair them with the most suitable provider. Afterword also offers personalized grief resources.
Thanks to Afterword for helping plan meaningful memorials!
Thinking In Advance For Our Furry Friends
All pet owners want the best for their pets even after they pass away. In 2021, My Grandfather’s Cat was launched to help seniors and terminally ill people arrange second homes for their pets in Canada.
Having the peace of mind that our pets have a loving home makes the thought of leaving them a little easier.
Wondering how much you should leave in a pet trust? Check out our pet trust calculator →
Creating A Simple And Automated Solution To Estate Planning
We all start building a legacy from the moment we are born. But life and legacy planning can be a complicated process. By making estate planning easy to understand, inclusive, and available to everyone, EstateBox aims to break down barriers and alter preconceptions about it.
Their virtual “box” makes it simple and convenient to access important documents like your legal will and share information so that everyone is prepared when the time comes. Not to mention, they are also changing the way we talk about death. EstateBox keeps everyone connected and involved in the planning process.
Creating An Affordable, Accessible, And Simple Solution
In 2017, Willful co-founders CEO, Kevin Oulds and Erin Bury had a family member pass away unexpectedly. The death inspired them to create an online platform that would help Canadians make their will to avoid the mess they had to go through.
56% of Canadians don’t have a will and while there are many reasons why, Willful has created an affordable, convenient, and easy solution. Willful is a fraction of the cost of visiting a lawyer. We’ll guide you through the process of getting a will and power of attorney documents in as little as 20 minutes.
Ready to write your will? Start for free today →
Canadian Startups Are Changing The Game
At the end of the day, most of us don’t want to think or talk about death. However, like taxes dying is inevitable. These Canadian startups are just a few of the impressive innovations that have made death, grief, and dying a little easier.
Which was your favourite Canadian company to learn more about? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Instagram or TikTok!
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