signing a will

Disclaimer: This article on preparing estate documents is intended for the purpose of providing information only. It is to be used only for the purposes of guidance. This article is not intended to be relied upon as the giving of legal advice and does not purport to be exhaustive.

We have talked before about the importance of having a will and powers of attorney in place. But what does it look like to have them done? We turned to one of our recent clients to tell us about her experience working with our firm. 

Tell us about yourself

I am a 30-something-year-old married mother with one child. My husband and I have been married for quite a while, and up until recently, we did not have any estate planning documents. 

I had met Shayna in a networking group, and when we decided it was time for a will, we turned to the incredible team at Beeksma Law. 

What made me think about estate planning? 

Like many people, we had not spent much time thinking about our own mortality. Yes, anything could happen, but it was not at the top of our minds. A couple of things convinced us that it was time to document our wishes. 

First, we became parents, which changed everything for us. The question of what would happen to our son if something happened to both of us loomed over us. While we knew that our families would step in and care for him, what would that look like? Would he be receiving money at 18 that he is ill-equipped to handle? What if there were disagreements about who would be his guardian? 

Also, the pandemic taught us that anything is possible. Anything can happen at any time. We had fooled ourselves into thinking that we didn’t need to do this process because we were relatively young and healthy. However, we came to realize that that didn’t matter. 

While we considered a will kit, ultimately, we decided to work with Beeksma Law. Yes, it was more expensive, but I work with other types of templates in my line of work. They can be okay. However, they will usually not give you the same kind of quality that you get when you make an investment and work with an expert. 

What did you appreciate about the experience? 

I like to do my research, and when we approached Shayna and her team, I thought we had thought things through.  I was wrong! During our first meeting, we outlined a number of areas that had never even crossed my mind. We appreciated how thorough she was and that the documents that we prepared fully considered what happens after we are gone. 

We also appreciated being able to do our powers of attorney at the same time. During our conversations, we were helped to appreciate that a will only comes into effect when we die. What would happen if we were in a terrible accident? Who would handle our affairs? 

We appreciated Shayna’s patience with us, answering every single question that we had under the sun. She was more than willing to make sure we understood our options and the implications of our choices. 

What was it like working with a virtual law firm? 

We loved it! We last worked with a lawyer when we purchased our house. At that time, we had to take time off work, travel to the lawyer’s office, and discuss and sign the documents. 

We had wanted to work with Beeksma Law and were grateful that things were done virtually. Her offices are in Hamilton and Owen Sound. We are located east of Toronto. It would not have been practical if we couldn’t have attended virtual meetings and signings. 

With a virtual law firm, we did not have to do any of that! We had one meeting where I was in the car between appointments, and my husband was able to step away while working. It was so much easier to schedule and attend our meetings with Beeksma Law. When it came time to sign, again, it was so simple. Everything was set up for us to sign virtually, saving us time and effort. 

Simply put, we are pretty busy, and anything easy and straightforward is a big win for us. 

How do you feel after preparing estate documents? 

We feel so much better – this had been hanging over our heads. With strong documents in place, we feel so much more confident knowing our child will be well cared for. 

We are so glad that we also worked with the team at Beeksma Law. They made everything so clear, simple and easy to understand. They ensured that nothing fell through the cracks and were incredibly organized. 

We are extremely pleased with our decision to work with a firm specializing in estate law. We didn’t get the feeling that they dabbled in it or treated it as just another service they provided. Their expertise and passion were evident throughout the process, and there was no doubt that this was their area of expertise. 

Preparing Estate Documents with Beeksma Law 

At Beeksma Law, we love helping families feel confident about their futures by creating strong estate documents. Contact our team today to learn more about how we can help you.