What is a Will in BC? A Will is a legal document that says what should happen to your estate after you die. In British Columbia, your Will names the person who will manage your estate (your “Executor”) and gives instructions about what should happen to your property after your debts and expenses have been dealt with. A Will can also deal with other important matters, such as naming a guardian for minor children, and it gives powers to your Executor so they can do their job properly.
What is a Will? A BC Notary explains
[VIDEO: What is a Will?]
Linda Caisley, BC Notary Public, explains what a Will is, what it does and when it takes effect in British Columbia.
What does a Will do in BC?
Your Will provides instructions for dealing with your estate after your death.
Among other things, your Will can:
- name the person who will be responsible for managing your estate;
- give instructions about who should receive your property;
- provide for children, family members or other people who are important to you;
- name a guardian for minor children; and
- provide instructions for dealing with what remains after your debts, expenses and other obligations have been paid.
The person you name to look after your estate is called your executor.
When does a Will take effect?
A Will takes effect when you die.
It does not give anyone authority to manage your finances, property or personal affairs while you are alive. That is important – a common misunderstanding is that having a Will means someone can automatically step in and help if you become ill or are no longer able to manage things yourself. It doesn’t.
Your Will deals with what happens after your death. Other estate planning documents are used to plan for circumstances that may arise while you are alive.
For example, a Power of Attorney can give someone authority to help manage your legal and financial affairs while you are alive. A Representation Agreement can appoint someone to help with certain personal and health care decisions.
Who should make a Will?
Wills aren’t only for people who consider themselves wealthy or who own a lot of property.
If you leave behind any kind of property, money, belongings or people who depend on you, a Will can provide instructions about what you want to happen and who you want to be responsible for dealing with your estate. A Will can help your family understand what you wanted to happen to your estate and give your executor the powers they need to carry out your wishes.
An important part of estate planning is not simply deciding who gets your property. It is also deciding who you trust to deal with everything you leave behind.
How do you make a Will in BC?
You can make a Will in one of three ways in BC:
- type out your own Will (don’t handwrite it – that won’t work in BC)
- using an online Will publisher
- hiring a BC Notary to make your Will for you.
If you make your own Will, you need to follow British Columbia’s legal requirements for making and signing a valid Will. If you use an online Will publisher, make sure you use one that has precedents for Wills in BC, not any other place.
Make sure you carefully follow the instructions provided by the online Will publisher. If you find the instructions confusing, please consider hiring a BC Notary to help you draft the Will.
A BC Notary can help you understand how a Will works, discuss your estate planning wishes with you and prepare a Will that reflects your instructions.
A Will is only one part of estate planning
A Will answers an important question: What should happen when I die?
But a Will doesn’t answer all of the questions that can arise if something happens to you.
A complete estate plan may also consider questions such as:
- Who can manage my financial and legal affairs if I need help while I am alive?
- Who can help make personal or health care decisions?
- What health care instructions do I want to leave?
- Who should act if the first person I appoint can’t or won’t act?
That’s why it’s important to consider Wills, Powers of Attorney, Representation Agreements and Advance Directives together.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Your Will takes effect after your death.
No. You’ll need a Power of Attorney for that.
No. Your Will identifies the person or people you appoint as your executor.
Related explanations
Learn more about the other documents and people you may encounter when planning your affairs:
What is a Power of Attorney in BC?
What is a Representation Agreement in BC?
What is an Advance Directive in BC?
What is an Executor in BC?
About the author
Linda Caisley, BC Notary Public
Linda has worked in the legal field for more than 40 years and has been a BC Notary Public since 2008. Estate planning, including the preparation of Wills, Powers of Attorney and Representation Agreements, is part of her practice at The Notary Group.
Published: October 2026
Last reviewed: October 2026