Is your will worth the paper it’s printed on?

Maybe not if you’re in a blended family. I am contacted periodically by stepchildren who have been cut out of an inheritance because their natural parent relied on a standard will. By standard will, I mean the kind where you leave everything to your spouse and if your spouse has already died, you leave everything to the kids.

Of course that’s what each of us wants. If you die first, you want your spouse to continue living in the home you’ve shared and to have access to your combined savings to enjoy their best life. When they die, you want everything split equally between the children. That’s fair.

Wills have been made that formalize those wishes. Those wills have been registered with the Wills Registry maintained by BC’s Vital Statistics Agency. Each of the children have copies.

You’ve had reassuring discussions with your spouse. Each of you is committed to this estate plan. You feel confident a fair share of the wealth you have scratched together over a lifetime of hard work will be........

© Castanet