Canada · Checklist
The Canadian estate-planning checklist
Getting your affairs in order isn't one big task — it's a handful of documents and decisions, plus making sure your family can find them. Here's the whole list, in plain English. Terminology varies by province; see your province page for the exact names.
The documents
- A will — reviewed after any major life change (marriage, a child, a move, a death).
- A power of attorney for finances — so someone can manage your money if you can't.
- A health-care / personal directive — so someone can make medical decisions if you can't.
- For parents of minors — a named guardian, so a court doesn't decide.
The money
- Named, up-to-date beneficiaries on your RRSP, TFSA, RRIF, and pensions — these override your will.
- Life insurance suited to who depends on you, with the right beneficiary.
- A list of accounts, debts, and where the statements live.
The findability
- A chosen executor (liquidator in Quebec) who knows they're named and where things are.
- Your final wishes — burial or cremation, the service, organ donation.
- Your digital accounts and what should happen to them.
- Everything in one place your family can actually reach — the single biggest failure point.
Turn this checklist into a living record
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Keep reading
- What to do when someone dies in Canada
- The Canadian estate-planning checklist
- Your digital legacy checklist
- Estate planning by province
This page is general information to help Canadian families spot gaps — it is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and it is not tailored to your situation. Terminology and rules can change; confirm specifics with a qualified lawyer. Meravor is not a law firm.