What to Bring to an Estate Planning Meeting

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Why the preparation matters

A first consultation with us takes 30 minutes, by video or in person. That is enough time to understand a family and recommend a plan, but only if the basic facts are on the table. The questions we ask are not idle curiosity. Each one connects to an Ontario rule that changes what your will, your powers of attorney or a trust needs to say. This page is a practical companion to our main estate planning page: what to gather, why each item matters, and what happens after the meeting. If a term is unfamiliar, our glossary of Ontario estate and corporate terms explains it.

You do not need exact values or a binder of statements. A list on one page, with rough numbers, is plenty. Precise values matter later, mostly for your estate trustee, because Ontario’s Estate Administration Tax and the Estate Information Return use values at the date of death.

The checklist, and why each item is on it

About you and your family

Your full name, date of birth and marital status, including whether you are married, separated, divorced or in a common-law relationship. Ontario treats these very differently: a common-law partner does not inherit if there is no will, and since 2022 separation can remove a spouse’s gifts under a will. See what happens to your will if you separate.
Your children, with ages, and any children from an earlier relationship or stepchildren. Stepchildren matter because, without a will, Part II of the SLRA divides the estate between a spouse and your issue, so how a stepchild is provided for is a question for your will.
Anyone who depends on you financially, such as a parent you support or an adult child with a disability.
Any marriage contract, cohabitation agreement or separation agreement. These can affect what your spouse can claim.

The people you have in mind

An estate trustee and an alternate. Ontario’s guidance suggests thinking about each person’s age, time, ability to manage money and location, and notes that an estate trustee outside Ontario might have to post a bond when applying for probate.
A guardian for young children, and an alternate. Both parents should agree on the same names, for the reasons in how to name a guardian for your children.
Your attorneys for property and for personal care, and backups. The witness rules exclude some family members, which matters at signing.

What you own and owe

Real estate, with how each property is held: in your name alone, or jointly with someone. Ontario’s guidance notes that jointly owned property passes automatically to the surviving owner.
Bank and investment accounts, noting any that are joint.
Registered plans and insurance: RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs, pensions and life insurance, with who each one names as beneficiary. Under Ontario’s Estate Administration Tax guidance, plans with a beneficiary designation are not part of the estate’s value for the tax. Our guide to beneficiary designations explains why.
Property outside Ontario, which may need its own planning.
Major debts: mortgages, lines of credit, loans, and any debt of someone else you have co-signed.

If you own a business

Your company’s articles, share register and any shareholders’ agreement. The agreement may already decide what happens to your shares on death or incapacity; our page on shareholders’ agreements explains why.
A rough value for your shares, and whether there is a holding company.
Your accountant’s name. Tax planning on death is a conversation for your accountant, and we work alongside them.

Your existing documents

Any current will and codicils, and both powers of attorney, with the date each was signed.
Any will made in another province or country.

What each item on the checklist changes in your plan
Item	Why it matters	Ontario rule behind it
Marital status and partner	Who inherits without a will; whether separation removes a spouse’s gifts; the spouse’s family law election	SLRA Part II and s. 17; Family Law Act s. 6
Children’s ages	A guardian clause; whether an inheritance would be paid into court	Children’s Law Reform Act ss. 51 and 61
How property is held	Joint property and designated plans pass outside the will	Ontario.ca, Estate planning and wills
Registered plans and insurance	Whether they count in the estate’s value for Estate Administration Tax	Ontario.ca, Estate Administration Tax
Company shares	Whether a secondary will can keep them outside the probated estate	Ontario.ca, Estate Administration Tax (certificate limited to the assets in a will)
Who you want as attorney	Who may witness; whether two attorneys act jointly	Substitute Decisions Act ss. 7(4), 10(2) and 46(4)
Existing documents	Whether old documents were validly signed, and what a new will revokes	SLRA ss. 4 and 15

Five questions to think about before you arrive

Documents are only half of the preparation. The other half is a few decisions that only you can make. You do not need final answers, but a first instinct on each one makes the meeting far more useful.

If you died tomorrow, who should receive what? Start with the big picture: a spouse first, children equally, a gift to a charity or a sibling.
At what age should your children receive their inheritance outright? Many parents prefer a later age than 18, which a trust in the will allows.
Who would you trust to handle your money if you were in hospital for six months? That is your attorney for property, and it may not be the same person as your estate trustee.
What medical treatment would you want, or refuse, if you could not speak for yourself? Those wishes can go in your power of attorney for personal care.
What should happen to your business, if you have one? Sold, kept in the family, or bought out by a partner under your shareholders’ agreement.

What happens after the first meeting

Our process has four steps, and you always know which one you are on:

Consultation. A 30-minute conversation, by video or in person, about your family, your business and what you want to protect.
A clear plan and quote. We explain the options, recommend one, and tell you what it will cost before any work begins.
We draft, you sign. We prepare the documents, go through them with you, and walk you through signing them correctly, at our Richmond Hill office or by video. Ontario allows video witnessing when one witness is a licensee of the Law Society of Ontario; the details are in can you sign a will by video in Ontario.
We stay on file. A will review when your family or your business changes.

Once we have the information we need, a straightforward will and powers of attorney usually take a few weeks from first meeting to signing. More complex plans take longer, and we tell you the timeline with your quote.

What changes what you need to bring

You are an estate trustee, not a planner

If you are coming to us because someone has died, bring the original will, the death certificate, a list of the person’s accounts and property, and any letters from banks or institutions. Our page on what an estate trustee has to do explains the steps.

Someone is losing capacity

Powers of attorney can only be signed by someone who is capable of giving them. If a parent’s memory is slipping, bring that up early, because timing matters. The test is in section 8 of the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 for property and section 47 for personal care.

You are updating an older will

Bring the old will and note what has changed since you signed it. Marriage since 2022 no longer revokes a will, which surprises many people; see does getting married cancel your will in Ontario.

Example

For example, imagine Leo, 52, a Markham business owner, books a video consultation. Before the call he writes one page: married to Grace, two children aged 15 and 19, a house he and Grace own as joint tenants, an RRSP naming Grace, a TFSA naming nobody, and 100% of the shares of an operating company with a shareholders’ agreement he signed with a former partner years ago. His current will is from 2012.

In 30 minutes, that page answers most of the questions. The house, owned in joint tenancy, and the RRSP will pass to Grace outside the will. The TFSA, with no designation, falls into the estate. The company shares may suit a secondary will, depending on the company’s documents. The 2012 will does not name a trust for the 15-year-old, so any inheritance could be paid into court until age 18. Leo leaves with a recommended plan and, shortly after, a quote.

Common mistakes before a first meeting

Waiting until every number is exact. Rough values are enough to plan.
Forgetting the designations. Registered plans and insurance often pass outside the will, so they shape the plan.
Not mentioning a common-law partner or a separation. Both change the plan more than most people expect.
Leaving the business documents behind. A shareholders’ agreement can override what you would put in a will about your shares.
Not asking the people you plan to name. A guardian appointment, for example, does not work without the person’s consent.

What to do this week

Write one page with your family details, including any former spouse or partner.
List what you own and owe, with rough values and how each item is held.
Check who your RRSP, TFSA, pension and insurance name as beneficiary.
Find your current will and powers of attorney, if any.
If you own a company, find the articles, the share register and any shareholders’ agreement.
Request a consultation: 30 minutes, by video or in person.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need exact account balances?

No. Rough figures are enough to recommend a plan. Exact date-of-death values matter later, for your estate trustee’s probate application and tax filings.

Should my spouse come to the meeting?

If you are planning together, it usually makes sense for both of you to attend, since each of you will sign your own will and powers of attorney.

Can we meet by video from outside Richmond Hill?

Yes. You can meet by video from anywhere in Ontario, or in person at our Richmond Hill office, and Ontario allows the documents to be witnessed by video in the right conditions.

What if I do not know who to name as estate trustee?

That is a common starting point. We talk through the options, including naming two people or a backup, and what the role involves.

How do I know what the plan will cost?

After the consultation, we give you a clear quote before any work begins.

Do I need a lawyer at all?

Ontario law does not require one for a will. We give an honest answer in do you need a lawyer to make a will in Ontario.

Sources

This page is general information about Ontario law, not legal advice for your situation. It reflects the law as of October 26, 2026.

What should you bring to an estate planning consultation?