Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Canada

Re: legal will and testament

Every State has requirements regarding sufficiency of a will, and they are not always the same. I have no doubt Canada has it's own ideas too. I can only provide some thoughts regarding what Washington will recognize.

Here, a will can certainly be a handwritten document - that can be valid. The handwritten will, like a word processed document, or any other statement of testamentary intent must be witnessed by two people - and those two people cannpt be beneficiaries of the will they are witnessing. The self- attesting affiavit should provide the witnesses names, addresses and phone numbers of the witnesses and in WA, ALL three signatures should be notarized.

I would expect a informal will - one written in handwriting by the testator with the necessary witness signatures and the notarization of all three to hold up against a challenge.

If this answers your questions, great - if not, post again or call me. Powell

Re: legal will and testament

I can only reply regarding Washington as I am not licensed to practice in Canada. In Washington you need to have two witnesses to your will, and they should sign a witness affidavit as well as a signature page at the end of your will. The affidavit of witness needs to be signed by a notary public to certify it.