Where to Get Help with Preparing Your Will
| This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by Helen Low, QC in January 2016. |
Access Pro Bono
In-person clinic staffed by volunteer lawyers to help low-income seniors (ages 55+) and people with terminal illnesses prepare a will. :604-424-9600
Clicklaw
Online resource offers one-stop access to legal information, education, and help for British Columbians from trusted organizations. Select the topic “Wills & Estates”.
Dial-A-Law
The Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch provides legal information for the public by telephone recordings and over the internet. See the script on “Making a Will and Estate Planning”.
- Lower Mainland: 604-687-4680
- Toll-free: 1-800-565-5297
- www.cbabc.org
Law Students’ Legal Advice Program Clinics
Law students from the University of British Columbia offer free assistance to qualifying clients with some legal matters, including preparing certain types of simple wills. The manual used by LSLAP law students has a chapter on "Wills and Estates" that includes sample clauses for making a will.
- 604-822-5791
- www.lslap.bc.ca
Lawyer Referral Service
The Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch offers referrals to lawyers who can provide a half-hour consultation for $25. The lawyer will not be able to prepare a will for you in this time, but can answer initial questions you may have.
- Lower Mainland: 604-687-3221
- Toll-free: 1-800-663-1919
- lawyerreferral@cbabc.org
- www.cbabc.org
MyLawBC
From Legal Services Society, the agency that provides legal aid in British Columbia, MyLawBC is an online resource that enables you to make a simple will through answering a set of questions. It also provides information on wills as well as personal planning documents such as powers of attorney and representation agreements.
Nidus Personal Planning Resource Centre and Registry
Provides information, education, and support for people to make and use representation agreements and enduring powers of attorney.
- info@nidus.ca
- www.nidus.ca
Public Guardian and Trustee of BC
This government office may agree to be appointed executor in a will in appropriate circumstances. They can also administer an estate when the executor is not able or willing to do so, or when someone dies without a will.
- 700 - 808 West Hastings Street
- Vancouver, BC V6C 3L3
- 604-660-4444
- www.trustee.bc.ca
Self Counsel Press
Self Counsel Press publishes do-it-yourself guides on legal topics for BC, including on making a will.
Society of Notaries Public of BC
A notary public can help with making a will. The Society of Notaries Public of BC offers a list of notaries in the province.
- Lower Mainland: 604-681-4516
- Toll-free: 1-800-663-0343
- www.notaries.bc.ca
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 Writing Your Will © People's Law School is, except for the images, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.
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