Updating Your Will: When and How to Make Changes

When Should You Update Your Will?

Estate planning is not a one-and-done event. As your life changes, your Will must change to reflect your new reality. We recommend reviewing your Will every 3 to 5 years, but you must actively update it after these major life events:

1. Marriage

This is critical: Under older Ontario laws, getting married automatically revoked your existing Will. However, as of January 1, 2022, marriage no longer revokes a Will in Ontario. Therefore, if you made a Will leaving everything to your parents before you got married, and you die, your spouse might get nothing. You must write a new Will.

2. Separation and Divorce

Similarly, separation does not automatically revoke your Will. If you separate from your spouse but don't update your Will, they may still inherit everything. Once a formal, legal divorce is finalized, Ontario law treats the ex-spouse as if they predeceased you. Still, it is much safer to simply draft a new Will the moment you separate.

3. Birth or Adoption of a Child

You need to update your Will to add the new child as a beneficiary, and more importantly, to name a legal Guardian for them.

4. Changes to Your Executor or Guardian

If the person you named as your Executor or Guardian dies, becomes ill, moves to another country, or you simply have a falling out with them, you need a new document immediately.

How to Make Changes

Never, ever cross out a line in your original signed Will with a pen and write a new name in the margin. This can invalidate the entire document in probate court.

If you used a lawyer, they will draft a "Codicil" (a legal amendment). If you use an online platform like Will Project, the fastest, safest, and cheapest method is simply to log in, change the data, print out a brand-new Will, sign it with new witnesses, and physically destroy the old one.