If you need to replace someone listed in your will or power of attorney, you’ll need to update your legal document. You can change any of the following roles or designations in your Willful documents:
Executor – the person responsible for carrying out your will
Attorney for property or personal care – the person who makes decisions for you if you're unable
Guardian for minor children or pets – the person you'd like to care for your dependents
Beneficiaries and contingent beneficiaries – the individuals or organizations who will receive your estate
Backups – any alternate people named to step in if your first choice is unavailable
When might you want to change an important role?
You might want to change someone you've appointed in your will or power of attorney documents if:
Your relationship has changed: You’ve married, divorced, separated, or had a falling out with the person.
They’re no longer available or willing: The person has passed away, moved far away, or no longer wants the responsibility.
Your circumstances have changed: You’ve moved provinces, remarried, or had children.
You’ve reconsidered their suitability: You feel someone else may be more capable or aligned with your wishes.
Keeping these roles up to date ensures the right people are in place to carry out your wishes.
How do you update a role in Willful?
If you're removing or adding a family member (like a spouse or adult child), or if your marital status has changed, go to step 2 first to make those updates.
Please follow the instructions in the tutorials depending on which role you would like to change:
After you've made all changes, visit the Contacts page for an overview of who's currently assigned. You can remove any contacts you no longer need. Learn more about how to manage your contacts.
Don't forget to reprint or redownload, and then sign and witness the updated document to make it legally valid.
Can you just cross out a name and write a new one?
No. Handwritten changes are not legally valid in most provinces. You'll need to generate a new version of your document and re-sign it according to your province's legal requirements.