Originally published: October 2, 2014 | Last updated: October 2, 2024
You can create a legally valid Last Will and Testament through an online Will service which functions as an interactive web-based platform. The system asks you various questions which help you describe your family structure and list your belongings and your desired recipients and your specific instructions. The system generates a legal document which matches your answers and follows the specific laws of your provincial area. You then print, sign, and have it witnessed. The entire process typically takes 20 minutes or less. LegalWills.ca has provided this service to Canadians since 2000 which makes it the longest-running online Will platform in Canada.
An online Will service is an interactive, web-based platform that guides you through creating a legally valid Last Will and Testament. You answer a series of questions about your family, assets, beneficiaries, and wishes. The service generates a custom legal document based on your answers, formatted for the laws of your province. You then print, sign, and have it witnessed. The entire process typically takes 20 minutes or less. LegalWills.ca has offered this service to Canadians since 2000, making it the country’s longest-running online Will platform.
Why Should You Use an Online Will Service?
There are six compelling reasons to prepare your Will online rather than putting it off or paying hundreds of dollars for a lawyer.
People should create their Wills through online methods because the process offers six appealing advantages which they can access without waiting and without spending money on attorney services.
Over 65% of Canadian adults do not have an up-to-date Will. The main barriers are cost, complexity, and procrastination. An online service eliminates the first two. There is no need to book an appointment, travel to an office, or spend hours in consultation. You can complete your Will from your couch, at midnight if you choose. The convenience factor alone means you are far more likely to actually finish the task. For more on why you should not delay, read Do I Need a Will?
1. You Will Actually Get It Done
A lawyer-drafted Will in Canada costs $500 to $1,500 or more. LegalWills.ca charges $49.95. The legal validity is identical. Canadian law does not require a lawyer to prepare your Will. What matters is that the document meets provincial signing and witnessing requirements, which our service ensures automatically. The cost savings are especially significant for couples, who can prepare both Wills for a fraction of a single lawyer visit.
More than 65% of Canadian adults have not created a current Will. The main barriers are cost, complexity, and procrastination. An online service eliminates the first two. There is no need to book an appointment, travel to an office, or spend hours in consultation. You can make your Will from your home couch during the late hours of midnight whenever you want. The task becomes more likely to reach completion because of its convenient nature. You should not wait to create your will because of reasons which you can find in Do I Need a Will?
With a traditional lawyer-drafted Will, making changes requires either a codicil (a formal amendment) or an entirely new Will, both of which cost additional fees. With an online service, you log back into your account, make changes, and print a new version. Life events like marriage, divorce, births, property purchases, or moving provinces are all handled with a few clicks. Learn more about how to update your Will.
2. It Is Affordable
A good online Will service does not just collect information, it teaches you about estate planning as you go. At LegalWills.ca, each question includes plain-language explanations of legal terms like beneficiary, executor, trustee, and residual estate. By the time you finish, you understand not just what your Will says, but why each provision matters. Many users tell us the process helped them think through decisions they had never considered, such as key estate planning definitions.
The Canadian market offers lawyer-drafted Wills which customers can purchase for prices between $500 and $1,500 and beyond. LegalWills.ca charges $49.95. The legal validity is identical. Canadian law does not require a lawyer to prepare your Will. Our service automatically ensures that the document fulfills all provincial requirements for signing and witnessing. The expense reduction becomes more important because couples can create both Wills through one lawyer visit which costs less than multiple separate appointments.
Reputable online Will services offer tools that go beyond the Will document itself:
- Digital asset management: Securely record your online accounts, passwords, and digital property so your executor can access them when needed.
- Funeral wishes: Document your preferences for burial, cremation, or other arrangements so your family knows exactly what you want.
- Keyholders: Designate trusted individuals who can access important information about your estate and accounts.
- Messages: Leave personal messages for loved ones to be delivered after your passing.
These features address aspects of end-of-life planning that a traditional lawyer-drafted Will typically does not cover.
3. No Need for a Codicil. Update Anytime
At LegalWills.ca, you can create not just your Will but also a Power of Attorney and Living Will, the three documents that form a complete estate plan. Having all three in one place, prepared consistently and ready to update together, simplifies the entire process.
A traditional lawyer-drafted Will requires people to create either a codicil (which serves as a formal amendment) or a completely new Will to make any changes which results in additional expenses. Users need to log into their accounts on online services to create updated versions which they can then print. The system allows users to handle life events which include marriage and divorce and birth events and property buying and provincial relocation through simple mouse clicks. The process of updating your Will requires additional information which you can learn about.
4. It Educates You Along the Way
False. LegalWills.ca generates comprehensive Wills that include all standard legal clauses: executor appointment, beneficiary designations, alternate provisions, trust clauses for minors, residual estate distribution, and executor powers. The documents are reviewed by estate lawyers and updated regularly. They are as legally complete as a lawyer-drafted Will.
An online Will service which works well helps users understand estate planning through its educational approach. LegalWills.ca presents each question with simple explanations which describe legal terms including beneficiary and executor and trustee and residual estate. The process shows you both the contents of your Will and the reasons which make every specific part essential. The system enables users to discover vital estate planning concepts which they never understood before during the decision-making process.
False. LegalWills.ca generates province-specific documents. The service knows which provinces allow holographic Wills, which require specific witness rules, and how intestate succession differs across Canada. When you select your province, the Will is tailored to your jurisdiction’s legal requirements.
5. Value-Added Features Beyond the Will
False. Unlike a Will sitting in a lawyer’s filing cabinet, online Will platforms are continuously updated to reflect changes in legislation. LegalWills.ca has been maintained and updated since 2000; over two decades of keeping pace with Canadian estate law. When laws change, the platform is updated, and users are notified to review their documents.
Reputable online Will services provide users with extra tools which extend their functionality past what the Will document alone can offer.
Visit LegalWills.ca and begin the guided process. You will need about 20 minutes and basic information about your assets, family members, and wishes. Read our step-by-step guide to writing your Will for a preview of what to expect.
Digital asset management: Securely record your online accounts, passwords, and digital property so your executor can access them when needed.
| Funeral wishes: Document your preferences for burial, cremation, or other arrangements so your family knows exactly what you want. | Keyholders: Designate trusted individuals who can access important information about your estate and accounts. | Messages: Leave personal messages for loved ones to be delivered after your passing. |
|---|---|---|
| These features address aspects of end-of-life planning that a traditional lawyer-drafted Will typically does not cover. | 6. It Covers Your Complete Estate Plan | LegalWills.ca enables users to produce their Will documents while also creating Power of Attorney documents and Living Wills which together establish a full estate planning system. Our process becomes easier because all three documents exist together in one location while maintaining consistent preparation standards and allowing synchronized updates. |
| Are Online Wills Really Legitimate? Common Myths Debunked | Myth 1: “Online Wills Are Incomplete Documents” | False. LegalWills.ca produces full Wills which contain every essential legal section including executor designation and beneficiary allocation and backup instructions and trust provisions for child protection and distribution of remaining assets and executor authority. The documents undergo regular updates which estate lawyers perform after their initial review. The documents carry the same legal authority as a Will which a lawyer would create. |
| Myth 2: “They Don’t Account for Local Laws” | Yes | Yes |
| False. LegalWills.ca produces documents which match the needs of each Canadian province. The service determines which provinces permit holographic Wills and which ones need specific witness requirements and it shows how Canadian provinces handle situations when people die without Wills. The Will adapts to your state’s legal requirements when you choose your province for selection. | Yes | Yes |
| Myth 3: “Online Will Services Are Outdated” | False. Online Will platforms receive continuous updates which keep them current with all new legal requirements instead of remaining in a lawyer’s office filing system. LegalWills.ca has operated as a Canadian estate law tracking system which started operations in 2000. The platform receives updates whenever laws shift and users receive notifications to check their documents. | How Do I Get Started? |
| The website LegalWills.ca provides you with a step-by-step process to start your application. You will need about 20 minutes and basic information about your assets, family members, and wishes. Our step-by-step guide will show you the process of writing your Will through a detailed preview. | How Does an Online Will Compare to a Lawyer-Drafted Will? | Feature |
| Online Will (LegalWills.ca) | Lawyer-Drafted Will | Cost |
$49.95
While an online Will service is appropriate for the vast majority of Canadians, some situations benefit from direct legal counsel. If you own a business with complex partnership or shareholder agreements, have assets in multiple countries, are involved in active litigation that may affect your estate, or have a family situation involving dependants with special needs who require a Henson trust, consulting an estate lawyer is advisable. Even in these cases, many people start with an online Will to establish a baseline document while they arrange more specialized legal advice. Having any Will is better than having no Will at all.
$500 , $1,500+
A complete Canadian estate plan includes three documents: a Last Will and Testament, a Power of Attorney for financial matters, and a Living Will (also called an advance healthcare directive). The Power of Attorney designates someone to manage your finances if you become incapacitated. The Living Will outlines your medical treatment preferences if you cannot communicate them yourself. Together, these three documents ensure your wishes are respected both during your lifetime and after. LegalWills.ca offers all three as part of a comprehensive estate planning package. For more details, see our guide to where the Living Will fits in your estate plan and our article on understanding advance directives.
Tim Hewson is one of the founders of LegalWills.ca.
He has over 20 years of experience helping people to write their Will and other estate planning documents. He has been interviewed by many of the major news media outlets including CTV, Global News, The Toronto Star, and other leading Canadian publications. He has also contributed to a number of financial planning books.
Throughout his career, Tim has written extensively on the subject of Will writing and estate planning.
