Have a question?
We’re here to help!
Find the answers to some of our most commonly asked questions below. If you can't find the answers you're looking for, our team is ready to help.
About Willful
Willful’s Essentials plan is designed for one (1) adult and includes one (1) last will and testament.
Willful’s Premium plan is also designed for one (1) individual and includes everything in the Essentials plan (one (1) last will and testament), plus one (1) power of attorney for financial matters, and one (1) power of attorney for health care.
Willful’s Family plan is designed for groups of two to six (2-6) adults. Each Family plan includes a Premium plan for the number of adults you’ve chosen. In addition, you’ll save 16% per plan when you purchase as a Family plan. The Family plan is the best option if you want to purchase more than one Premium plan.
Most Canadians are a great fit for Willful. Our specialty is simple estates, which represents around 80-90% of Canadian estates.
There are some situations where you may want to visit a lawyer, including:
- You want legal advice
- You have custom clauses or requests
- You need to set up a Henson trust for a child with a disability
- You want to disinherit someone from your will
Learn more about complex situations that may require a lawyer →
Willful is currently available in English and French (in Quebec). We hope to offer more language options in the future!
Willful does not offer mirrored or joint wills.
Mirrored wills default to leaving everything to your spouse when you pass away. However, it can be limiting for most couples, since there isn’t the flexibility to make individual choices. With Willful you can achieve the same result as a mirrored will by choosing the option to leave everything to your spouse when you pass away.
Yes! Willful wills contain a carry-on business clause, which allows your executor to act on your behalf for your business interests.
However, some business owners choose to create dual wills to separate their business assets from their personal assets. It is not necessary to have a dual will, but there may be tax implications. Willful does not handle the creation of dual wills at this time.
Absolutely! If you currently have a will that you had drafted previously, you can still create an updated will with Willful. We’ll walk you through the process to ensure you have a document that fits your current life situation. Once you’ve printed and signed your new will, simply make sure to destroy any previous versions!
Once you’ve made a will with Willful, it’s easy to make updates at any time.
Creating your will
Yes! As long as you meet the requirements for a legal will in Canada, a will drafted online is 100% legal. Willful documents have been created in partnership with experienced estate lawyers in each province, so you can feel confident in your estate plan.
Willful provides you with all the instructions on how to make your will legally binding. (Hint: No lawyer or notary required!)
You are not able to create wills on behalf of anybody else such as your parents, grandparents, friends, or neighbours.
What makes a will legally valid is that it is created by the testator (aka the person that the will is for). While you can discuss your wishes with family or friends, you must make all decisions yourself.
The person creating their will with Willful must create their own account using their own email address, and complete the process on their own for the will to be legal.
When you pass away, your place of residence at the time of your death becomes the residence of your estate - for example if you pass away in Ontario, your estate will be located in Ontario.
If you appoint an out-of-province/country executor, it changes the location of your estate to wherever the executor resides.
Other countries also have different tax implications for out-of-province or country beneficiaries.
So yes - you can appoint out-of-province or out-of-country executors or beneficiaries with Willful. However, this can have major tax implications and you may want to speak with a tax specialist to understand how this will affect your estate after you pass away.
Learn more about choosing an executor in another province →
For the most part, creating a will on Willful covers your assets in any part of the world. However, in some situations real estate/land may governed by local laws when you pass away. Consider speaking with a lawyer in the location of your property to determine if you should create a separate will in the region/country the property is located.
Many individuals also choose to create a secondary will for property in other countries for tax purposes. Wilful does not currently offer secondary wills, since the two wills typically reference each other. If you do want to create a secondary will in another country, you would likely need to visit estate lawyers in both countries to get this taken care of.
It is not necessary to include a list of all your assets in your will. Your will already covers your umbrella estate (everything you own). Most wills do not include a detailed list of assets for two primary reasons:
- When your will goes through probate after you pass away, it becomes public domain — and many people don't want the public to know what assets they held at the time of their death.
- Your assets change often. This way, you don’t need to update your will every time you purchase or sell an asset.
The only time you need to mention a specific asset in your will is if you're gifting it to someone as a specific gift.
If you wish to include a full detailed list to help your executor, you can compile a list of assets separate from your will and store it with your document. This is not a legally-binding document but will serve as a blueprint for your loved ones.
Didn't see your question?
We’ve got more answers. Our fully searchable Support Centre that may have the answer to your questions.
Our team of REAL humans are here to help
By submitting this form, you agree to let Willful contact you regarding your inquiry and Willful products.
- Request a call
Speak to a Willful expert. Request a call back to answer your general estate planning questions or any questions about Willful.
Request a call → - Email us
You can also get in touch by emailing us at support@willful.co
Send us an email
Please note: Willful is not a law firm and cannot give legal advice on specific situations.
Work with us to bring convenient and affordable estate planning to more Canadians
Questions about our partner programs? Learn more here or get in touch with our Partnerships Team at partners@willful.co