When should I update my estate plan after getting remarried in Ontario?

You should update your estate plan as soon as possible after remarrying — ideally before the wedding, or immediately after. As noted under Ontario law, marriage automatically revokes a prior will unless it was made in explicit contemplation of the marriage. Waiting too long after the ceremony can leave you temporarily intestate, which may not reflect your wishes at all.

But updating your will is only the first step. A second marriage in a blended family situation usually requires a comprehensive review of your entire estate plan. This includes changing beneficiary designations on RRSPs, TFSAs, pensions, and life insurance policies, which pass outside the estate and may still name an ex-spouse if never updated. It includes reviewing any existing trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. It means thinking carefully about what you want to happen to the family home, especially if children from a prior relationship have an emotional or financial stake in it.

It also means confronting difficult conversations: how do you balance your obligations to a new spouse with your desire to protect your children's inheritance? What happens if you die young and your new spouse remarries? Getting these answers into a legally binding plan — whether through a will, trusts, or a marriage contract — protects everyone involved.