Estate Planning and Legacy in Canada
Wills, beneficiaries, probate and passing on wealth tax-efficiently.
Estate planning decides who gets what, who makes decisions if you can't, and how much goes to tax and probate along the way. This hub is for Canadians who want those decisions made on purpose.
Start with wills and powers of attorney, then probate fees by province and tax-efficient wealth transfer. The guides explain beneficiary and successor designations, what happens to registered accounts at death, and the digital assets people forget. Probate rules link to each province's own page.
Estate law is provincial and personal, so each guide says when to see a lawyer or notary for your own will.
What this hub helps you decide:
- Do I have the right will and powers of attorney?
- How much probate will my estate pay?
- Who should I name as beneficiary or successor?
- How do I pass on wealth tax-efficiently?
Updated November 2026 · 4 guides by Andrew
Start here
- Wills and Powers of Attorney for Canadians
- Probate Fees by Province (and Legal Ways to Reduce Them)
- Tax-Efficient Wealth Transfer in Canada
- Digital Assets and the Legacy You Leave
New to retirement? Read the overview first: How to Build a Canadian Retirement Plan in 7 Steps.
All Estate & Legacy guides
Probate Fees by Province (and Legal Ways to Reduce Them)
Ontario’s own example: an estate of $240,000 pays $2,850 in Estate Administration Tax, $15 per $1,000 above $50,000. British Columbia and Alberta use different statutes. Several provincial schedules did not load on October 3, 2026.
Digital Assets and the Legacy You Leave
Your family will inherit more than money — they'll inherit your values, your stories, and 247 online accounts they don't know the passwords to.
Tax-Efficient Wealth Transfer in Canada
When you die, the CRA treats you as if you sold every investment you own.
Wills and Powers of Attorney for Canadians
If you die without a will in Ontario, your spouse may not inherit everything — even if you've been married for 30 years.