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Wills and Estate Planning Lawyers
in Mississauga and Toronto

Strategic Estate Planning for Mississauga families. Minimize tax, avoid conflict, and ensure your wishes are honored.

Secure Your Estate Plan

Senior Counsel Note: This guide to Ontario Estate Planning was reviewed by Deepa Tailor, Senior Family Lawyer, to ensure compliance with the Succession Law Reform Act.

Why Estate Planning Matters

Estate planning isn't just about death—it's about protecting your family, preserving your wealth, and ensuring your wishes are honored during incapacity or transition.

Protect Your Family

Without a Will, Ontario's intestacy laws decide who inherits your estate—often not aligned with your wishes. Proper planning ensures your loved ones are protected and provided for according to your intentions.

Minimize Tax Burden

Strategic estate planning can significantly reduce probate fees, capital gains tax, and other estate-related costs. Trusts and proper beneficiary designations preserve more wealth for your heirs.

Avoid Family Conflict

Ambiguous or outdated estate documents are a leading cause of family disputes. Clear, legally sound documentation prevents costly litigation and preserves family relationships during difficult times.

Expedite Estate Settlement

A well-structured estate plan with proper Powers of Attorney and beneficiary designations can dramatically reduce settlement time, ensuring your family has access to resources when they need them most.

Wills and Powers of Attorney

From foundational Wills to sophisticated trust structures, we provide complete estate planning solutions tailored to your family's unique circumstances.

Last Will & Testament

Comprehensive Will drafting that clearly designates beneficiaries, appoints executors and guardians for minor children, and ensures your estate is distributed according to your wishes.

Executor appointment and powers
Guardian designation for minors
Specific bequests and residual distribution
Tax-efficient distribution strategies
Digital asset provisions
Pet care arrangements

Powers of Attorney

Essential documents that authorize trusted individuals to make financial and healthcare decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated—protecting you from court-appointed guardianship.

Power of Attorney for Property
Power of Attorney for Personal Care
Continuing vs. Non-continuing powers
Specific authority limitations
Multiple attorney coordination
Revocation and amendment procedures

Trust Structures

Strategic trust creation for asset protection, tax minimization, and controlled distribution. Ideal for blended families, business owners, and high-net-worth individuals seeking sophisticated estate planning.

Testamentary trusts (in-Will)
Inter vivos trusts (living trusts)
Spousal and family trusts
Henson trusts for disabled beneficiaries
Asset protection strategies
Tax deferral and income splitting

Estate Administration

Comprehensive executor support and estate administration services. We guide executors through probate applications, asset distribution, tax filings, and beneficiary communications with precision and care.

Probate application preparation
Estate asset inventory and valuation
Creditor notification and claims
Estate tax return preparation
Beneficiary distribution
Estate account clearance certificates
Recently Separated?

Don't Let Your Ex Become Your Accidental Heir

In Ontario, separation doesn't automatically revoke your Will. Download our Fresh Start Estate Checklist to ensure your ex-spouse has zero claim to your future.

10-Point Ex-Removal Audit
Guardianship Clause Template
New Partner Warning Guide
Digital Estate Checklist
Get the Checklist

Estate Planning During or After Divorce

Divorce fundamentally alters your estate plan. Ontario law automatically revokes gifts to former spouses in Wills, but it doesn't address Powers of Attorney, beneficiary designations, or trust structures. Without immediate updates, your ex-spouse could retain control over your healthcare decisions, life insurance proceeds, or RRSP beneficiaries.

What Divorce Doesn't Revoke

  • Powers of Attorney for Property and Personal Care
  • Life insurance and RRSP beneficiary designations
  • Joint ownership arrangements and trust structures
  • Executor appointments in certain circumstances

Post-Divorce Estate Updates

  • Revoke and replace all Powers of Attorney
  • Update beneficiary designations on all accounts
  • Revise Will to reflect new family structure
  • Consider trusts for children from previous marriage

Tailor Law Advantage: As a firm specializing in both Family Law and Estate Planning, we ensure your divorce settlement and estate documents work in harmony. We identify gaps, prevent conflicts, and provide integrated solutions that protect your interests across both domains.

Go Deeper

Related Guides & Resources

Estate planning touches every part of your financial life. Explore the topics most relevant to your situation.

Estate Litigation

Estate Litigation in Ontario

When estates are disputed — contested wills, executor misconduct, and how litigation works.

Challenging a Will

Challenging a Will: Undue Influence

How to prove undue influence or lack of capacity, and what the litigation process looks like.

Executor Duties

Executor Duties & Liability in Ontario

What executors are legally required to do — and the personal liability risks if they get it wrong.

Intestacy

Intestacy Rules: Dying Without a Will

How Ontario distributes your estate if you die without a will — and why it may not match your wishes.

Trust Disputes

Trust Disputes & Estate Litigation

Common trust disputes, trustee obligations, and how courts resolve beneficiary conflicts.

Divorce & Estates

The Divorce Gap: Estate & Inheritance

The dangerous window between separation and divorce where your estate plan can unravel.

Death Tax

Death Tax Calculator Ontario

Understand probate fees, estate administration tax, and strategies to reduce what you owe.

Will Revocation

The Divorce Trap: Will Revocation

How divorce automatically revokes your will in Ontario — and what to do before it happens.

The Estate Planning Process

A clear, efficient four-step process designed to create comprehensive estate documents that protect your family and honor your wishes.

01

Initial Consultation

60-90 Minutes

We discuss your family structure, assets, goals, and concerns. This confidential meeting helps us understand your unique situation and recommend appropriate estate planning strategies.

Key Deliverables:

Comprehensive estate planning assessment
Identification of potential issues and opportunities
Customized strategy recommendations
Transparent fee estimate
02

Document Drafting

1-2 Weeks

Our team prepares your Will, Powers of Attorney, and any trust documents. We ensure compliance with Ontario law while incorporating tax-efficient strategies and clear, unambiguous language.

Key Deliverables:

Draft Will with executor and guardian appointments
Powers of Attorney for Property and Personal Care
Trust documentation (if applicable)
Beneficiary designation review checklist
03

Review & Refinement

1 Week

You review the draft documents at your own pace. We schedule a follow-up meeting to address questions, clarify provisions, and make any necessary adjustments to ensure the documents reflect your intentions.

Key Deliverables:

Detailed explanation of all document provisions
Answers to your questions and concerns
Revisions based on your feedback
Final document preparation
04

Execution & Storage

Same Day

We coordinate the formal signing of your estate documents with proper witnesses. We provide guidance on secure storage and ensure your executors and attorneys know where to find these critical documents.

Key Deliverables:

Properly executed and witnessed documents
Original documents for your secure storage
Digital copies for your records
Storage and communication guidance

Typical Timeline: Most estate plans are completed within 3-4 weeks from initial consultation to final execution.

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Wills and Estates FAQs

Clear answers to the most important questions about estate planning.

Why do I need a will in Ontario?
Without a will in Ontario, your estate is distributed according to the Succession Law Reform Act (intestacy rules), which may not reflect your wishes. You lose control over who inherits your assets, who becomes guardian of your children, and who administers your estate.
What is a Power of Attorney in Ontario?
A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document that gives someone else (your attorney) the authority to make decisions on your behalf. In Ontario, you can create a Continuing Power of Attorney for Property (finances) and a Power of Attorney for Personal Care (health decisions).
How is estate administration handled in Ontario?
The executor named in your will applies for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee (probate) from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. They then collect assets, pay debts and taxes, and distribute what remains according to the will.
What happens if I die without a Will in Ontario?
Your estate is distributed under the intestacy rules in Part II of the Succession Law Reform Act rather than according to your wishes. If you leave a married spouse and children, your spouse receives the first $350,000 (the preferential share, for deaths on or after March 1, 2021) and the rest is shared between your spouse and children; if there is no spouse, your children or other relatives inherit in a fixed order. A common-law partner does not inherit under these rules, and someone must apply to the court to be appointed to administer the estate, which adds time and cost.
Can I write my own Will or use an online template?
Yes. Ontario recognizes a holograph will written entirely in your own handwriting and signed by you, and a typed or template will is valid if you sign it in front of two witnesses who also sign; a witness or a witness’s spouse should not be a beneficiary. Do-it-yourself wills often run into problems because of signing mistakes, unclear wording or overlooked assets, and the court’s power to validate an improperly signed will should not be relied on. For anything beyond a simple estate, such as a blended family, a business, property outside Ontario or dependants, having a lawyer prepare or review the will is recommended.
What is probate and can I avoid it?
Probate is the process in which the Superior Court of Justice confirms the estate trustee’s authority by issuing a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee. Estate Administration Tax is payable on estates valued over $50,000, currently $15 for every $1,000 (or part) above $50,000. Some assets can pass outside the estate, such as jointly owned property with a right of survivorship or registered plans and life insurance with a named beneficiary, and some people use a second will for assets that do not require probate. Probate-planning strategies have tax, family-law and control consequences, so they should be planned with legal and tax advice.
Can I disinherit my spouse or children?
You can generally choose your beneficiaries, but Ontario law limits the effect of leaving out people who depend on you. Under Part V of the Succession Law Reform Act, a dependant, which can include a spouse, a qualifying common-law partner and children you were supporting or were legally obliged to support, can ask the court to order adequate support from your estate. A married spouse can also choose an equalization of net family property under the Family Law Act instead of taking what the will provides. Independent adult children usually have no claim, but the details matter, so get legal advice before leaving someone out.
What is a Power of Attorney and why do I need one?
A power of attorney lets someone you trust act for you while you are alive. In Ontario there are two main types: a continuing power of attorney for property, which covers your finances and can continue if you become mentally incapable, and a power of attorney for personal care, which covers decisions such as health care and housing if you cannot make them yourself. Without them, your family may have to apply to the court or the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee to act for you, which takes time and money. A will only takes effect on death, so powers of attorney fill that gap.
Can I change my Will after I sign it?
Yes. While you have the mental capacity to do so, you can change your will by signing a new will that revokes the old one, or by signing a codicil (a formal amendment) with the same formalities as a will. Handwritten changes to a signed will are not effective unless they are properly signed and witnessed. Since January 1, 2022, marriage no longer automatically revokes a will in Ontario, and separation can affect a spouse’s entitlement, so review your will after any major life change.
What happens to my digital assets (social media, crypto, online accounts)?
Digital assets with financial value, such as cryptocurrency, online financial accounts and domain names, generally form part of your estate, but your estate trustee may struggle to access them. Ontario does not currently have legislation dealing specifically with digital assets, so access to email and social-media accounts often depends on each platform’s terms of service. Keep a secure, up-to-date list of your accounts and how to access them outside the will itself, and consider giving your estate trustee and attorney for property express authority over digital assets.
How do I choose an executor?
Choose someone you trust who is organized, reasonably available and able to deal fairly with your beneficiaries; in Ontario the role is formally called an estate trustee. Many people name a spouse, adult child or close friend and also name an alternate, and a trust company can be appointed for complex estates. A person living outside Ontario can act, but the court may require a bond, so an Ontario resident is often simpler. Speak to the person before naming them so they understand what the role involves.

Still have questions?

View Full FAQ Library

Secure Your Legacy Today

Estate planning isn't something to postpone. Schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your family's unique needs and create a comprehensive plan that protects your loved ones.

Comprehensive Protection

Wills, Powers of Attorney, and trust structures tailored to your family

Family Law Integration

Seamless coordination between divorce settlements and estate plans

Efficient Process

Most estate plans completed within 3-4 weeks

Prefer to speak directly?

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