Catholic Mission In Canada

Preparing your will is an expression of love for those you leave behind:

your family, your friends, and the charities whose work you believe in and want to continue to support.

Putting this off may mean that you will die without a will, leaving your family in financial hardship or with a host of problems.

• If you have minor children, you will not have the opportunity to choose a guardian.
  
  
• If you die without a will leaving no spouse or next of kin, your full estate will go straight into your provincial treasury.
  
  
• If you own a business, it could be ruined by lack of clear instructions from you. Your executor needs the appropriate power to handle your business or property.

During a very emotional and stressful time, your family will have to deal with the courts which will distribute your estate according to the laws of the province you live in. This is time-consuming and impersonal, and the results may be very different from what you really want. Your estate could be diminished by taxes and unnecessary administration costs.

So make a date with yourself, to sit down and prepare for a meeting with a lawyer who is experienced in Wills and Estates to draw up your will. Take care of those people and things that are important to you by making a properly prepared will.

Where do you start?

The single most important thing in making your will is to choose someone you trust as your estate trustee (executor).

From my personal experience in Wills and Estate law, I cannot emphasize how important it is to choose the right person to be your executor to settle your estate and carry out your will's terms. Choosing the wrong person could mean that your wishes, although clearly stated in your will, are changed or ignored by your executor. Choose with care!

You may wish to name co-executors, a family member and your lawyer or trust company. It is also advisable to name an alternate executor in case your executor cannot act or dies before you. You should choose someone who lives in the same town or city as you do. The role is time-consuming, involving filing tax-returns; locating assets; investing, selling or retaining property; paying debts and taxes; and distributing bequests as you have directed in your will.

Ask the person you choose to be your executor if they are willing to act and understand all the duties involved. Tell your executor where your will is kept and do not keep it in your safety deposit box. In most instances, the banks will not allow access to your safety deposit box until your will has been probated by the courts. In return for these services, your executor is entitled to reasonable compensation from your estate.

Make a firm decision to do your will now. Don't wait until trouble occurs or your mental competency is in question. Do it now while you are in sound mind and free from being unduly influenced by others.

Ask for a free Will Planner from Catholic Missions In Canada. It will help get you started.

Call and MAKE AN APPOINTMENT with a lawyer.

Make a list of:

• your assets
• your liabilities and those you wish to remember in your will:
• family
• friends
• charities

Have your will prepared professionally by a lawyer who has experience in Estate law. It is well worth the cost. Too often, if you prepare your own will or use a Will Kit, important things may be overlooked. Witness requirements, vague or incorrect wording, improperly named charities, omission of clauses -- any of these may have dire consequences! Your estate could be tied up in court for many months. It just makes good sense to have your will prepared properly from the outset.

Through a charitable bequest, you have the opportunity to make a significant gift to those charities and causes that you have valued during your lifetime. Through your bequest you can establish an endowment as a lasting memory of your own life, or the life of a loved one. Either way, you can make a difference to Catholic Missions In Canada by providing running water for a missionary sister, or a new vehicle for a traveling priest, or even a new church.

Call or write today for your free Will Planner and brochure. Completing a will, which takes care of your loved ones and your favourite charities, will bring you the greatest satisfaction. Do it now.

Fill out a Request Information Form or

please contact  Winnie Quinn, our Charitable Gift Planning Manager at

Tel: 416-934-3424
Toll-free: 1-866-YES-CMIC (937-2642)
Fax: 416-934-3425

or via e-mail at giftplan@cmic.info

N.B. All personal information is kept in strict confidence. We encourage you to confer with your own legal and financial counsel in the development of your gift planning.