Wills and Estate Planning in Maple Ridge
At LAWHUB’s Maple Ridge office, we prepare wills, powers of attorney, and representation agreements for clients across the Fraser Valley. We’ll explain how the documents work together and help you put your decisions in writing.
Estate Planning for the Responsibilities You Already Have
A home, a child, a bank account, a business interest, or someone who depends on you can all make planning worthwhile. It gives you a chance to decide who should handle certain tasks before your family has to make those choices without your direction.
We help Maple Ridge clients prepare:
- Wills
- Powers of attorney
- Representation agreements
Each document has a different role. A will applies after death. A power of attorney deals with financial and legal decisions. A representation agreement deals with personal care and health-care decisions.
What Does a Will Do in BC?
A will sets out your wishes after you die. It can name an executor to manage your estate, identify who should receive your property, and record your wishes about who should care for a minor child.
Your will does not let another person manage your accounts while you are alive. It also does not give someone authority to make health-care decisions for you. Those are separate planning questions.
If you die without a will, BC law decides how your estate is distributed. Your family could also face extra administrative steps because no executor has been named in a will.
A will gives your executor a clear place to start and can leave your family with fewer loose ends to sort through.
What is an Enduring Power of Attorney?
A regular power of attorney lets you appoint someone to make financial and legal decisions for you. It can be narrow or broad, depending on what you need.
A regular power of attorney ends if you become mentally incapable. An enduring power of attorney continues through incapacity, which is why it is often used when planning ahead.
You can decide whether your attorney can act while you are still capable or only if you become incapable. That choice needs to be clearly set out in the document.
An enduring power of attorney does not cover personal care or health-care decisions. It also does not let another person make or change your will.
What is a Representation Agreement?
A representation agreement lets you choose someone to make personal care and health-care decisions for you if you become incapable of making them yourself.
It can cover decisions about care, living arrangements, and communication with health-care providers. Depending on the type of agreement, it can also cover routine financial and legal matters.
A representation agreement is not simply a second power of attorney.
One person may be organized with banking and paperwork, while another is better suited to speak with doctors or make personal-care decisions. We’ll help you think through those roles before documents are prepared.
What Happens if You Die Without a Will in BC?
When someone dies without a will, BC’s Wills, Estates and Succession Act sets out how the estate is distributed. A spouse, children, and other relatives can have rights under those rules.
The law cannot account for the details that matter in your family. It does not know who you wanted to care for a pet, which person understands your finances, or who you hoped would manage the estate.
Preparing a will lets you make those choices yourself while you can.
What to Expect When You Speak With LAWHUB
Bring the names of the people you are considering and the questions you want answered. You do not need a spreadsheet of every account or a perfectly organized file to begin.
During your free 30-minute consultation, we’ll talk through your family, property, responsibilities, and planning concerns. We’ll explain which documents fit the choices you want to make and what information we need to prepare them.
You’ll leave knowing which decisions are yours to make, who you may need to speak with, and what information will be helpful before documents are finalized.
Wills and estate planning FAQs
Do I need a will in BC?
A will lets you decide who should receive your property and name an executor to handle your estate. It can also record your wishes about who should care for a minor child.
What is the difference between a will, an enduring power of attorney, and a representation agreement?
A will takes effect after death. An enduring power of attorney covers financial and legal decisions if you become incapable. A representation agreement covers personal care and health-care decisions and, in some cases, routine financial and legal matters.
Can an attorney make or change my will?
No. A person acting under a power of attorney cannot make or change a will for you.
Do I need both an enduring power of attorney and a representation agreement?
Many people use both because the documents cover different decisions. An enduring power of attorney covers financial and legal matters. A representation agreement covers personal care and health-care decisions.
What should I bring to my first consultation?
Bring every court or police document you have, including release papers, notices, and information about your court date or driving prohibition. We can start there.
What happens if I die without a will?
BC’s intestacy rules determine how your estate is distributed. Your family can face more administrative work because your instructions were not set out in a will.
How often should I review my documents?
Review them after a significant change in your family, health, finances, property, or the people you named to act for you. Even without a major change, it is useful to check that they still reflect your wishes.
Speak With an Estate Planning Lawyer in Maple Ridge
Start with the people you are considering and the decisions you want to make. We’ll help you turn those choices into documents that are clear, current, and ready when they are needed.
Book your free 30-minute consultation with LAWHUB today.