What a will costs depends mainly on the route: a handwritten or kit will costs little or nothing, an online service charges a fixed package price, and a lawyer or notary charges for drafting and advice, usually more for complicated estates. This page compares the routes and what pushes the price up. It is part of our directory of what things cost in Canada; how to make a valid will is in how to make a will in Canada.
The routes compared
| Route | What you pay for | Who it usually suits |
|---|---|---|
| Holograph (handwritten) will | Nothing; valid only in provinces that recognize them (not BC or PEI) | Emergencies; easy to get wrong |
| Will kit or template | A one-time purchase | Very simple estates |
| Online will service | A fixed package price, with powers of attorney in the higher packages | Simple to moderate estates |
| Lawyer | A flat fee for a standard will, or hourly for complex work | Children, a business, a blended family, property in several provinces |
| Quebec notary | A notarial will, which doesn’t need probate | Quebec residents |
Online will services
| Service | Will only | Will and powers of attorney | Couples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willful | $129 | $199 | $349 (both packages) |
| Epilogue | $139 | $199 | $269 (wills only) or $329 (with incapacity documents) |
Prices from each provider’s pricing page; providers run promotions and change prices. The services are compared in detail in the best online will services.
Lawyer-drafted wills
Lawyers usually charge a flat fee for a standard will and powers of attorney, and hourly once the estate needs trusts or tax planning. Willful’s own pricing page estimates a lawyer at $700 to $1,200 or more for one person and $1,200 to $2,500 or more for a couple, a provider’s estimate rather than a survey. What lawyers charge generally, by practice area and city, is in how much a lawyer costs in Canada.
What raises the cost
| Factor | Why |
|---|---|
| Trusts for children or a beneficiary with a disability | More drafting; a Henson trust needs specialist wording |
| A blended family | Competing claims to plan around |
| A business or private corporation | Shareholder agreements, succession, tax |
| Property in more than one province or country | Several jurisdictions’ rules |
| A cottage or other real estate | Ownership and tax planning |
| Tax planning | Estate freezes, life insurance, trusts |
Ontario’s two-will approach
In Ontario, a secondary will can deal with assets that don’t need probate, typically private company shares, so their value stays out of the Estate Administration Tax ($0 on the first $50,000; 1.5% above $50,000). Drafting two wills costs more than one, so the approach usually pays off only for larger holdings.
Example: keeping $500,000 of private company shares in a secondary will avoids about $7,500 of Ontario Estate Administration Tax on an estate that is already above the exempt amount.
How probate fees are calculated in each province is in probate fees by province.
Powers of attorney
Online services include powers of attorney for property and personal care in their higher packages (see the table above), some provinces publish free government forms, and lawyers usually prepare them with the will. The documents themselves are explained in the power of attorney guide.
Updating a will
A small change can be made with a codicil, a short document signed with the same formalities as a will; larger changes usually mean a new will. Online services generally include free updates; a lawyer bills an update as new work. Events that usually call for an update are listed in how to make a will.
Related resources
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources. How we check facts.
- BC Laws: Probate Fee Act
- Government of British Columbia: Wills, Estates and Succession Act and Probate Rules
- Government of Ontario: Estate Administration Tax