What Is Estate Planning?
Estate planning is the process of putting decisions in writing before circumstances force them on someone else. It covers three situations that every person will eventually face: death, financial incapacity, and medical incapacity. Done properly, it means that the people you trust are legally authorized to act on your behalf, your assets go where you intend them to go, and no one has to guess at your wishes at the worst possible moment.
For most Nova Scotians, estate planning begins with four core legal documents. Together, they form a complete foundation.
The Four Core Documents
Legal Will
A Will — formally called a Last Will and Testament — sets out your instructions for what happens to your estate after your death. It names an Executor to carry out those instructions, specifies who inherits your property and in what proportions, and can make specific bequests of particular items to named individuals. Without a valid Will, Nova Scotia's intestacy laws determine who gets what — and the result may have nothing to do with what you would have wanted.
Everyone aged 19 or older should have a Will.
Enduring Power of Attorney
A Power of Attorney authorizes a person you name — your Attorney — to manage your financial and legal affairs. An Enduring Power of Attorney remains in effect even if you lose mental capacity, which is precisely when it matters most. Without one, a family member seeking to manage your finances on your behalf would have to apply to the Nova Scotia courts for authorization — a slow, expensive, and emotionally difficult process.
Everyone aged 19 or older should have an Enduring Power of Attorney.
Personal Directive
A Personal Directive — sometimes called a living will or healthcare directive — authorizes a person you name to make medical and personal care decisions on your behalf if you become unable to make them yourself. It can include your wishes regarding medical treatment, end-of-life care, and place of residence. Without one, healthcare providers must follow statutory decision-making rules that may not reflect your preferences.
Everyone aged 19 or older should have a Personal Directive.
Appointment of Guardian
An Appointment of Guardian allows parents and primary caregivers of minor children to formally name the person they want to care for their children. Critically, this document is effective in two situations: on the death of the parent, and on the mental incapacity of the parent while still alive. A guardianship clause in a Will covers only death. For parents of children under 19, a standalone Appointment of Guardian provides substantially broader protection. This document is included in the estate planning package at no extra charge for clients with minor children.
When Professional Advice Is Warranted
Having a Will, Power of Attorney, Personal Directive, and where applicable an Appointment of Guardian is essential for everyone. But for some people, those documents are only part of what sound estate planning requires.
If your estate involves significant assets, business interests, investment portfolios, real property in more than one province or country, or complex family circumstances such as a blended family or a dependent with special needs, you may benefit from the advice of one or more of the following professionals:
- An estate lawyer, for advice on structuring your Will, minimizing exposure to probate, or establishing trusts
- An accountant or tax planner, for advice on the tax consequences of particular bequests or estate structures
- A financial advisor or investment manager, for advice on registered accounts, insurance, and estate liquidity
These professionals provide advice that goes beyond the preparation of documents. The right combination of advisors depends on the size and complexity of your estate. What does not change, regardless of complexity, is the need for properly executed foundational documents — a Will, Power of Attorney, and Personal Directive at minimum.
If advice from any of these professionals leads you to update your estate documents, free revisions are included for all documents prepared through this service.
Why People Put It Off — and Why That Is a Mistake
Estate planning is consistently postponed for reasons that feel valid but rarely are: it can wait until I am older, my estate is not large enough to worry about, it will be too expensive, or it is simply uncomfortable to think about.
None of these holds up on examination. Incapacity can happen at any age. Even a modest estate creates significant complications if there is no Will to direct it. The cost of not having documents in place — court applications, delays, family disputes — far exceeds the cost of having them prepared. And the discomfort of thinking about death or incapacity is temporary; the peace of mind that follows from having your affairs in order is lasting.
If you are 19 or older, the right time to have these documents in place is now.
Choose Your Location
Appointments are available at two locations in Halifax Regional Municipality. The same $395 package is available at both.
- Halifax — 647 Bedford Highway, Suite 101, The Terrace Professional Centre. Tuesdays and Fridays.
- Dartmouth — 218 Poplar Drive, Cole Harbour. Mondays and Thursdays.
One Appointment. One Hour. $395.
Walk out with your Will, Enduring Power of Attorney, and Personal Directive — signed, witnessed, and notarized. Parents with minor children add an Appointment of Guardian at no extra charge. Free updates included.
Common Questions
The core documents are a Legal Will, an Enduring Power of Attorney, and a Personal Directive. Parents and caregivers of minor children should also have a standalone Appointment of Guardian. Together these four documents address the three situations everyone eventually faces: death, financial incapacity, and medical incapacity.
Not necessarily. In Nova Scotia, a practicing lawyer is not required to prepare a valid Will or other estate documents. That said, if your estate is large or complex — significant business interests, blended family circumstances, cross-border assets, or tax planning needs — consulting an estate lawyer, accountant, or financial advisor is strongly advisable. For most Nova Scotians with straightforward affairs, having properly prepared and executed documents in place is the priority.
As soon as possible. In Nova Scotia, anyone 19 or older can make a valid Will. These documents do not expire and can be updated at any time — free updates are included for all documents prepared through this service.
The full package — Legal Will, Enduring Power of Attorney, and Personal Directive — is $395 for one person or $495 for a couple. An Appointment of Guardian for parents with minor children is included at no extra charge. Free updates are included. A Power of Attorney and Personal Directive without a Will, for those who already have one, is $195 per person or $245 for a couple.
One appointment, approximately one hour. You complete a short form before your visit, and you leave with all your documents signed, witnessed, and notarized. Halifax appointments are available Tuesdays and Fridays. Dartmouth appointments are available Mondays and Thursdays.
If your documents were prepared through this service, updates are included at no charge. Book a new appointment and bring your existing documents. If professional advice — from a lawyer, accountant, or financial advisor — has led you to reconsider any aspect of your estate plan, those changes can be incorporated in the same way.