We will help you plan and draft your will

You can call our office at (450) 332-0355 to make an appointment. During our meeting, we will get to know you, your personal situation, your family and your financial situation. We shall discuss the type of will that would be most appropriate to your situation and its potential content.

While we prepare a first draft of the document, you should use the time to discuss with your loved ones and make appropriate decisions. 

During our second meeting, we shall finalize the document together and proceed to its signature. You will then be protected in the event of death.

In order to complete your file and your will, you shall need:

• Two (2) official proofs of identity, with picture;
• Your Medicare number;
• Your social insurance number;
• Your marriage contract, if applicable;
• Your divorce judgment, if applicable;

If we deem necessary to analyse other documents (for example, life insurance policies, retirement fund statements, ownership titles, etc) we will discuss that with you during the meeting and you can bring those at the second meeting.

It is important to note that you do not need to have the answer to all your questions to make an appointment. Our role is precisely to help you in your decision-making process and to share with you our expertise and experience in this field. Do not wait until it is too late. Do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your questions about your will.

No, it is not necessary to bring a witness. We will ask another notary from our office to witness your signature. 

However, if the signing of the will is done at your residence or in a medical center, it will be important for you to make sure there is a witness available at that time.

Yes, it is possible to modify a will at any time. All you have to do is inform us of the changes you want to make and sign the necessary documents. Unless some event happens in your life requiring major changes in your will, the modification, addition or removal of a part of the will can be done rapidly and at an affordable price. 

If you have more questions about modifying your will, do not hesitate to contact us.

No. The original is kept in our safe in our office. If you lose your own copy, you can contact us and we will send you another copy. 

Moreover, your will is always valid, even if after you die, some unhappy person destroys your copy. The original being held here, it can only be canceled or revoked by your written consent. 

All our wills are registered with the Registre des testaments de la Chambre des notaires du Québec. If for one reason or another, your heirs or your liquidator do not find your personal copy of your will, a verification with the Registre will allow them to retrace your last will and the coordinates of our office.

A trust will is a more elaborate form of will, where the transfer of some of your assets is not done directly to a specific individual, but rather to a distinct entity, the trust. The mission of this trust is to receive the assets to manage them for the benefit of one of a few of your heirs.

The trust can be advantageous to ensure the management and control of your assets in the cases where one heir would be incapable of doing so himself, be it because that heir is be too young, too old, sick or have a handicap. Finally, the trust is the best tool you can use when the assets you give your heir must be transmitted to another person when that heir dies.

During your meeting with the notary, we will discuss with you the advantages and disadvantages of a trust will.

Yes. Even if you do not have many assets, the will is the only tool to guaranty that those assets will be transmitted to your heirs.

Without a will, the fees to identify your legal heirs and the liquidation of your succession will be largely more than those fees paid for the preparation of a notarized will. So, instead of leaving your money to the judicial system, you will be certain to leave your assets to those you love.

Lettre & Brown professionnals will accompany you in the drafting of your will to ensure your assets are transmitted according to your wishes.

The choice of your liquidator depends on your objectives. You can name a family member, a friend, one of your heirs or hire our services as professional liquidators.

Choosing a member of your family, a friend or an heir might be easier for your heirs.  On the other hand, your liquidator has to be available to work on this mandate, which might be hard if this person already has a full-time work. Lastly, your heirs would be in a delicate and embarrassing situation in case there are either errors or omission, or even fraud. They would have to demand accountability to someone they know personally. 

Choosing a professional might seem more formal for your heirs. The notary will bill for his work on the settlement of your estate by hourly fee.  The notary is specialised in this field and surrounded by an available and efficient team. The estate settlement is faster. As the professional has to work within very strict standards of practice, there is less risk of errors or fraud. Finaly, the notary is neutral and is not in the middle of a conflict of interest with the heirs. 

Learn more about our estate settlements when you come for an appointment. We also offer videoconferencing throughout Québec. For all questions pertaining to your notarized will, contact Lettre & Brown Inc to make an appointment.