Will Preparation Worksheet: Get Ready Before You Meet a Lawyer

Fill this in first — and your Will appointment becomes fast, focused, and cheaper.

Who this is for & what you'll get: Anyone in Ontario preparing to make or update a Will. Print this out (or copy it into a document) and fill in the blanks before your appointment. Lawyers charge for time — arriving with this completed means fewer follow-up questions, fewer mistakes, and a lower bill.

⚖️ This is a general guide, not legal advice. It can't account for your specific situation. Use it to get oriented, then confirm the details with a licensed Ontario lawyer.

How to use this worksheet

Work through each section and fill in what you can. It's fine to leave gaps — your lawyer will help you finish. Don't worry about exact dollar values; approximate is enough to plan. Bring this with you (or send it ahead) when you meet your lawyer.

⚠️ A note on do-it-yourself Wills: This worksheet helps you prepare, not write your own Will. A homemade or kit Will signed without legal advice can fail for technical reasons — improper witnessing, unclear wording, or leaving out the residue (everything not specifically given away). Those errors usually surface after death, when nobody can fix them. Use this to organize your thinking, then have a lawyer draft the document.

Section 1 — Personal information

Full legal name: ____________________________________________

Any other names you've used: ________________________________

Date of birth: ______ / ______ / __________

Home address: _______________________________________________

City / Province / Postal code: ______________________________

Phone: ____________________   Email: ________________________

Marital status (check one):
[ ] Single   [ ] Married   [ ] Common-law   [ ] Separated   [ ] Divorced   [ ] Widowed

Do you have an existing Will?   [ ] Yes   [ ] No
If yes, date signed: ______ / ______ / __________   Location of original: ____________________

Section 2 — Family and dependants

List the people closest to you. Your lawyer needs these names to draft clearly and to spot anyone who might have a legal claim.

Spouse / partner's full name: _______________________________

Children (include from any relationship; note if a minor or has special needs):

Other dependants (anyone who relies on you financially — a parent, sibling, etc.):

Name: ____________________  Relationship: ____________  Why dependent: ____________________

Name: ____________________  Relationship: ____________  Why dependent: ____________________

Tip: In Ontario, certain dependants can make a claim against an estate for support even if they're left out of a Will. Tell your lawyer about anyone who depends on you — it's better to plan for it than be surprised.

Section 3 — Your assets (approximate values)

You don't need statements — just round figures. Note anything jointly owned, because jointly held property and named-beneficiary accounts may pass outside your Will.

Approximate total assets: $__________

Section 4 — Your liabilities (what you owe)

Approximate total liabilities: $__________

Section 5 — Who gets what

This is the heart of your Will. Think in two layers: specific gifts (particular items or amounts to particular people) and the residue (everything left over after debts, taxes, and specific gifts — usually the bulk of the estate).

Specific gifts

Item / amount: ____________________  →  goes to: ____________________

Item / amount: ____________________  →  goes to: ____________________

Item / amount: ____________________  →  goes to: ____________________

Item / amount: ____________________  →  goes to: ____________________

Charitable gifts (optional)

Charity name: ____________________  Amount / %: __________  (Note: ask about the registered charity's full legal name and number)

The residue — everything else

The residue of my estate goes to:

Name: ____________________  Share: ______%      Name: ____________________  Share: ______%

Name: ____________________  Share: ______%      Name: ____________________  Share: ______%

                                                 Total must equal 100%

⚠️ Don't skip the residue. If a Will gives away specific items but never says who gets "everything else," the leftover can fall into a partial intestacy and be distributed by statute — not by your wishes.

If a beneficiary dies before me, their share should go to: ______________________________

Section 6 — Executor (estate trustee)

Your executor is the person who carries out your Will. Pick someone trustworthy, organized, and willing — and ask them first. Always name an alternate in case your first choice can't act.

First choice executor: ____________________  Relationship: ____________
Phone / email: ____________________

Alternate executor: ____________________  Relationship: ____________
Phone / email: ____________________

[ ] I have asked these people and they are willing.

Section 7 — Guardian for minor children

If you have children under 18, name the person you'd want to raise them. (In Ontario a guardian appointment in a Will is influential but ultimately a court confirms what's in the child's best interests — still, your stated wish carries real weight. Under the Children's Law Reform Act, s. 61 (7), the appointment expires 90 days after it takes effect unless the person you named applies to the court within that window, so tell them they will need to move quickly.)

Guardian: ____________________  Relationship: ____________

Alternate guardian: ____________________  Relationship: ____________

[ ] I have discussed this with them.

Tip: Consider whether the person who raises your children should be the same person who manages their inheritance. Many parents split these roles or set up a trust so money is managed until a child is older.

Section 8 — Funeral and personal wishes

These aren't legally binding in the same way as the gifts, but they guide your family.

Burial [ ]   Cremation [ ]   No preference [ ]

Specific wishes: ____________________________________________

Have you pre-paid or pre-arranged anything?  [ ] Yes  [ ] No   Where: ____________________

Section 9 — Digital assets

List accounts and assets that exist only online so your executor can find and deal with them. Do not write passwords here or in your Will — note instead where the access information is safely kept (e.g., a password manager).

Email / cloud accounts: ____________________________________

Social media: ______________________________________________

Cryptocurrency / online investments: _______________________

Domain names, online businesses, loyalty points: ___________

Where access details are stored (NOT the passwords): _______

Section 10 — Pets

Pets are legally property, so you can't leave money to a pet directly — but you can leave a pet (and often a sum of money) to a person who agrees to care for it.

Pet(s): ____________________

Caregiver I'd want: ____________________

Amount to leave them for care (optional): $__________

Final check before your appointment

• Sections 1–4 filled in (you, your family, assets, debts)
• Section 5 complete — and the residue adds up to 100%
• Executor and alternate chosen and asked
• Guardian chosen (if you have minor children)
• Digital assets and pets noted
• Brought a list of beneficiary designations (RRSP/TFSA/insurance) so they can be coordinated with your Will

How Treadstone Law can help

Once this worksheet is filled in, drafting your Will is quick. Treadstone Law offers flat-fee Wills with an easy online process — serving all of Ontario virtually, with an office in Mississauga.

• Flat, transparent pricing — no hourly surprises. See treadstonelaw.ca/pricing.
• Start your file online at treadstonelaw.ca/start-file.
• Read more about our estate services at treadstonelaw.ca/wills-estates.
• Questions first? Call 1-844-900-1070.

Bring this completed worksheet and we'll turn it into a clear, properly executed Will.

This is not legal advice

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Ontario laws, tax rates, and government programs change, and how the law applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, speak with a licensed Ontario lawyer. Treadstone Law is licensed by the Law Society of Ontario — reach us at 1-844-900-1070 or start a file online.