A new online survey of 800 B.C. residents found that 66 per cent of respondent parents of children under the age of 18 don鈥檛 have a will.

For a family without a will if something happens to one or both parents, custody of the children and property distribution may not occur as the deceased intended. Furthermore, if the Public Guardian and Trustee is brought in to administer the estate, the province may then decide on the future of dependent children and assets.

鈥淭he costs of administering your estate may also be higher if a current and legal will does not exist,鈥� said Tarja McLean, a Notary in 91大黄鸭.

鈥淥ne of the kindest things you can do for your family and loved ones is to have a will in place, so it鈥檚 one less thing they need to worry about after you鈥檙e gone.鈥�

The survey was carried by Ipsos for BC Notaries during last month in lead to Make A Will Week in B.C., declared for April 8 to 14.

The survey also revealed that overall only 44 per cent of respondents had a will in place and only 57 per cent had a current will.

Related: Columnist Paul Hergott discusses importance of making a will

鈥淲e know that too many people pass without a will in place because Notaries help families navigate the bureaucracy and uncertainty created for those left behind,鈥� said Rhoda Witherly, president of B.C. Notaries.

鈥淓ven for us, this finding that two-thirds of parents with dependent children don鈥檛 have a will is surprisingly high and a concern for those families.鈥�

McLean said for parents to not have a will is often related to facing the reality of their demise at some point and facing difficult questions such as who will look after their children and distribution of their assets.

鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the hardest things to face up to but once you start talking about it and as you go through the process it gets a little easier to talk about,鈥� McLean said.

She said for parents, they may face issues with their elderly relatives that require legal attention and tend to overlook potential legal concerns regarding their own children.

鈥淭he feeling sometimes is your kids are too young or you as parent are too young to worry about it, or you are just starting out in life and don鈥檛 have many assets to worry about. But it is never too early to do a will,鈥� McLean said.

鈥淯nfortunately it does happen, a horrific accident takes place and the parents are lost and it鈥檚 heartbreaking to see a family left behind without a plan in place for what happens next.鈥�

Jennifer O鈥橠onnell, a Penticton Notary, said a will can typically be done with a Notary in two short meetings.

鈥淒uring the first meeting, we will discuss a general overview of your assets and your intentions for their distribution. The second meeting finalizes you plan and your paperwork,鈥� O鈥橠onnell said.

鈥淎 good way to start the process is to think about who you would want to care for your children, inherit your home and any other assets.鈥�

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barry.gerding@blackpress.ca
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