Updating Your Will: When and How to Make Changes

Your life evolves—your Will should, too. Major life events can make parts of your Will outdated or even invalid. An old Will can cause as much confusion as no Will at all. For drafting and execution context, see our Complete Canadian Will Guide.

When to Update

• Marriage, divorce, or separation
• Birth or adoption of a child
• Death of a beneficiary or executor
• Buying or selling significant property
• Major changes to finances or business
• Moving to a new province or country

As a rule of thumb, review every 3–5 years.

Codicil vs. New Will

Codicil: A short amendment for minor updates (e.g., new executor). It must be signed and witnessed like your Will.

New Will: Best for multiple or complex changes. It revokes prior Wills and avoids confusion.

Avoiding Conflicts

• Destroy old copies after signing a new Will.
• Keep one clearly marked original.
• Tell your executor where the original is stored.