Legal Validity of Willful Documents
Will: You do not need a lawyer or notary to make your Willful will legally valid. The will is legally valid as long as it is signed and witnessed according to the instructions provided.
Power of attorney:
- General Rule: For most provinces, you do not need to notarize your Power of Attorney documents to make them legally valid.
- Exception - Manitoba: Residents of Manitoba must have their Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) witnessed by a lawyer.
Special Provincial Requirements
British Columbia and Nova Scotia:
- Real Estate Transactions: Due to provincial laws and the requirements of their respective Land Title and Survey Authorities:
- Statutory Declaration: If you need your chosen representative to buy or sell real estate on your behalf, the statutory declaration included with your Willful documents must be notarized.
- Timing: This notarization is not required for the documents to be legally valid and can be done later by your chosen representative and one of your witnesses.