Skip to content

How to draw up a will when you don’t have kids

Free info session offered at Tommy Douglas library

What should you do when you need to draft a will but you don’t have any children?

The Tommy Douglas library branch is hosting a free information session with notary public David Watts on Monday, Sept. 12, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The event is about drafting a will for people who don’t have dependents.

The workshop will cover what wills do, who should have them, how to create them as well as important considerations, like appointing an executor and deciding on beneficiaries.

Wills cover more than just assets, Watts said. 

“It’s not just a tool to give away your stuff. It’s also a tool to authorize someone to act for you winding up your estate,” he said.

As for beneficiaries, some people may find they don’t have anyone to leave their estate to because they’ve outlived everyone, or they just don’t have family, so they may choose to donate to universities, charities or churches instead, Watts explained.

Wills aren’t about dying, they’re about planning, Watts said.

“When people don’t have a will, that’s when things get messy,” he added.

Watts has been a practising B.C. Notary since 2006.

The library event is free, but seating is limited, so register by calling 604-522-3971. The Tommy Douglas branch is at 7311 Kingsway.