Wills & Estate Lawyers in Coquitlam and Tri-Cities
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What Happens If You Pass Away Without a Will in BC
Without a will, the Wills, Estates and Succession Act (WESA) decides who inherits. It follows a set formula:
- If you have a spouse and all your children are together, your spouse gets the first $300,000 plus half of the rest. Your children split the other half.
- If any of your children are from another relationship, that first share drops to $150,000.
- A common-law partner of under two years gets nothing.
- Stepchildren get nothing unless a will names them.
A detached home is worth around $1.65 million in Coquitlam and $1.3 million in Maple Ridge. If it’s in one name, those rules can leave your spouse co-owning the house with your children. Someone also has to apply to the court for a grant of administration, which takes longer and costs more than probate with a will.
Read more on what happens when someone dies without a will in BC.
Help for Executors
If someone named you executor, you’ll likely need a grant of probate from the BC Supreme Court. Banks and the Land Title Office usually won’t release assets without one. When there’s no will, the court issues a grant of administration instead.
Lawyer fees are usually paid from the estate. As executor, you may also be paid for your work settling it. We can help you work out how much.
We prepare the court filings, deal with the banks, and help you pay out the estate correctly. If a family member is contesting the will, our estate disputes team can step in.
How Probate Works
1
Book a consultation. It’s a flat $300 plus tax, and it comes off your bill if you hire us.
2
We confirm your fee in writing, and you agree to it up front.
3
We apply to the BC Supreme Court for a grant of probate if there’s a will, or a grant of administration if there isn’t.
4
Once the court issues the grant, we help you settle the estate’s debts and pay out the people who inherit.
How Estate Planning Works
1
Book a consultation. It’s a flat $300 plus tax, and it comes off your bill if you hire us.
2
We confirm your fee in writing, and you agree to it up front.
3
We draft your will and walk you through it in plain language.
4
You sign it with two witnesses present, as BC law requires.
5
You keep it current. Our Estate Care Membership covers updates for $300 a year.
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Pricing
Estate Planning
Probate & Administration
Estate Care Membership
Annual review keeping your will and plan current. Document updates, beneficiary and executor changes, priority intake.
Estate Disputes
Why Families Choose Spraggs Law
Know the cost before you commit.
Every will on our menu has a set price, agreed in writing. A simple will in BC costs about $821 on average. Ours start at $149 online, or $750 drafted by a lawyer. See the full pricing menu.
Talk to a lawyer without the lawyer-talk.
Wills come with words like executor and intestacy. We explain each one as it comes up, so you leave knowing what your plan does and why.
Trust a name your neighbours already know.
Spraggs Law has served the Tri-Cities for 55 years. Clients rate us 4.6 stars across 152 Google reviews, and the thing they mention most is that we kept them in the loop.
Where We Work
From the Blog
Issues Arising From Intestacy in BC (Dying Without a Will)
B.C. Estate Law Issues: Why a Lawyer is Better Than a Will Kit or a Notary
5 Common Questions About Estate Law, Answered
How and When to Remove an Executor From a Will
Why It’s Important to Consider Incapacity Planning for Your Estate
What Happens to Digital Assets When You Die?
Wills and Estates Questions
Call us at 604-464-3333 to book.
Let us size your matter
Our initial consultation is a flat $300 plus tax, focused and under one hour. If you retain us, the fee is credited toward your retainer.