Estate Planning Checklist for BC Residents

The three essential documents

Before anything else, ensure you have these three documents. Together they cover what happens after death and during incapacity.

• Will — names your executor, beneficiaries, and guardians for minor children. Why you need one
• Enduring Power of Attorney — names who manages your finances if you're incapacitated. How it works
• Representation Agreement — names who makes health care decisions if you can't. Types and details

Checklist: documents and decisions

Will essentials

• Name your executor (and an alternate)
• Specify who receives your assets
• Name a guardian for minor children (and an alternate)
• Address any specific bequests (jewelry, collections, heirlooms)
• Include instructions for digital assets
• Consider funeral and burial wishes
• Store the original will safely (lawyer's office, safety deposit box)
• Tell your executor where the will is stored

Power of attorney

• Choose your attorney (the person, not a lawyer) — and an alternate
• Ensure the POA is specifically "enduring" so it survives incapacity
• Decide on any limitations (e.g., restrictions on selling the family home)
• Sign while you are mentally capable

Representation agreement

• Choose your representative — and an alternate
• Decide between Section 7 (standard) or Section 9 (enhanced) powers
• Consider your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment
• Discuss your health care values with your representative

Checklist: financial accounts and beneficiaries

• Review RRSP beneficiary designations — why this matters
• Review RRIF beneficiary designations
• Review TFSA — name a successor holder (spouse) rather than just a beneficiary
• Review life insurance beneficiary designations
• Review pension beneficiary designations
• Confirm all designations are current (no ex-spouses, no deceased beneficiaries)
• Ensure designations are consistent with your will

Checklist: property

• Check how your home is titled — joint tenancy vs tenants in common
• Check how any investment properties are titled
• Review mortgage life insurance coverage
• If you own property in another province or country, consider a separate will for that jurisdiction

Checklist: digital assets

• Create a digital asset inventory (accounts, approximate values, access methods)
• Store login credentials securely (password manager with shared access, or sealed envelope)
• Set up legacy contacts on Google, Apple, Facebook
• If you hold cryptocurrency, ensure recovery phrases are stored securely and accessible
• Reference the digital asset inventory in your will (but don't put passwords in the will)
• For more detail: Digital Assets and Your Estate in BC

Checklist: debts and insurance

• List all debts: mortgage, car loans, lines of credit, credit cards, student loans
• Note which debts are joint and which are sole
• Review life insurance coverage — is it enough to cover debts and provide for dependants?
• Review critical illness and disability insurance
• For more detail: What Happens to Debt When Someone Dies in BC

Checklist: communication

• Tell your executor where your will is stored and what it contains (broadly)
• Tell your attorney (POA) that they've been named and discuss expectations
• Tell your representative about your health care wishes
• Tell your guardian (if named) that they've been chosen
• Consider informing adult children about the general structure of your estate plan

Checklist: review triggers

Review your estate plan when any of these happen:

• Marriage or entering a common-law relationship
• Separation or divorce
• Birth or adoption of a child
• Death of a beneficiary, executor, attorney, or guardian
• Significant change in assets (buying/selling property, inheritance, business sale)
• Move to a different province or country
• Change in health status
• Change in tax law that affects your plan
• At minimum: every 3–5 years, even if nothing has changed

When to get professional help

A lawyer or notary is recommended when:

• You have a blended family
• You own a business
• You have property in multiple jurisdictions
• Your estate is large enough that tax planning matters
• You want to set up trusts
• You anticipate someone challenging your will
• You're unsure about any of the above

See our cost guide: How Much Does a Will Cost in BC?