Wills & Estates

Yes. If you die without a will in Alberta, the Wills and Succession Act dictates how your estate is distributed, and the result may not match your wishes. A properly drafted will lets you choose your beneficiaries, name a guardian for minor children, and appoint a personal representative you trust to manage your estate.

An enduring power of attorney is a legal document that allows someone you trust to manage your financial and legal affairs if you become unable to do so yourself. Unlike a regular power of attorney, it continues, or "endures," even after you lose mental capacity. It must be prepared while you still have the capacity to understand its effect.

A personal directive is an Alberta legal document that lets you appoint someone to make personal, non-financial decisions on your behalf if you lose capacity. This includes decisions about your health care, living arrangements, and personal matters. It is separate from a power of attorney, which covers financial decisions.

You should review your will every three to five years or whenever a major life event occurs, such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a significant change in assets, or the death of a named beneficiary or executor. In Alberta, marriage does not automatically revoke a will, but divorce does revoke gifts to a former spouse.