If you have searched for a will in British Columbia, you have probably seen the same promise: get your will done in minutes for less than the cost of dinner. Online templates sold for $99 or less can look like the practical choice. But a will is one of the most important documents you will sign, and when it fails, the cost shows up later, when your executor is trying to sort out the confusion.
This guide compares what an online will and a lawyer-prepared will each deliver, so you can decide with your eyes open.
When an online will may be enough
Online templates are fast, cheap and available any time. For a simple situation, such as a single person with modest assets, no children and no business, they can be a reasonable stopgap, and any valid will is better than none. The difficulty is that most people are not well placed to judge whether the document fits their circumstances, or whether they have signed it correctly under BC law. If you have no will at all, read what happens when you die without a will in BC.
Situations where templates often fall short
A template becomes risky when any of these apply:
- You are in a blended family, or have children from more than one relationship.
- You own a business or professional corporation.
- You have minor children, or want to pay out an inheritance in stages.
- You own real estate with someone else.
- You want to leave unequal shares, or limit what a spouse or child receives.
- A beneficiary has a disability or is financially vulnerable.
These are normal family and financial situations for many adults in Surrey, not rare edge cases.
BC signing rules are strict
Under the Wills, Estates and Succession Act (WESA), a will has formal signing requirements. It generally has to be signed in front of two witnesses who are present at the same time, and a gift to a witness, or to a witness’s spouse, can be void. Problems arise when the wrong people witness the will, the witnesses are not present together, the document is altered after signing, or generic platform instructions are misunderstood. If a will is not properly signed, the court can sometimes cure it under section 58 of WESA, but only through a court application, which takes time and money from the estate.
The real cost of a will that fails
The price on a template is only one number. A badly drafted or signed will can lead to:
- Delays in administering the estate.
- Extra legal fees for your executor.
- Uncertainty about who should inherit.
- Problems for minor beneficiaries.
- Family conflict over what the will means.
- Court applications to fix or validate the document.
Those costs fall on your family, and they can far exceed what you saved up front. Good planning also affects how much of your estate is exposed to probate fees, which are $14 per $1,000 on value over $50,000 (see how much probate costs in BC).
Information vs. advice
A template provides information. A lawyer provides advice. A lawyer asks follow-up questions, spots issues such as how your assets are held, and tests whether your plan will work in practice. People often do not know what they forgot to think about until someone points it out. For a closer look at what a will should do, see how wills and probate work together.
The fixed-fee option
Many people choose a template because they fear an open-ended legal bill. A fixed fee is a middle path. At Cube Law Corporation, we offer fixed-fee wills and estate planning for straightforward matters. You get legal advice and BC-specific drafting, with a written quote that sets out what is included. Government fees, disbursements and taxes are separate, and if your situation is more complex than quoted, we tell you in writing before anything changes. You can also read about our last will and testament service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are online wills legal in BC?
A will made from an online template is valid only if it meets WESA’s requirements, including how it is signed and witnessed.
Who should not use an online will?
Anyone with children from more than one relationship, a business, shared real estate, unequal shares or a vulnerable beneficiary should get legal advice.
Can a defective will be fixed?
Sometimes. The court can cure certain defects, but it requires a court application.
Talk to a Surrey Wills Lawyer
If you want a will tailored to BC law with the price known up front, get a fixed-fee wills quote from Cube Law.