Why Choose Us

Flat Fees

95% of our clients are charged predictable flat rates.

Specialization

We focus only on estate planning, probate and corporate law.

Respected

With awards won and hundreds of 5-star reviews, we’re well known for our top-quality advice and friendly service.

Charitable

We donate 1% of all revenue to charity.

Our Legal Services

We offer unparalleled service and are committed to providing each client with the personal attention that they need. Contact us for a free quote on any of our services.

  • Probate lawyers Vancouver

    Probate Law

    Our experienced probate lawyers ease the burden on executors and estate administrators.

  • Estate planning lawyer Burnaby

    Estate Planning

    Services include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, representation agreements, and obtaining a committeeship order.

  • Estate Disputes

    Contesting a will? Disinherited? Defending a will? Our estate lawyers can prepare you for what to expect.

  • Family Law Agreements

    Our family lawyers help you protect your assets through cohabitation agreements and marriage agreements.

  • Corporate Law

    Our corporate lawyers provide advice and support with all of the steps in the life of your company.

Explore All Services

See our complete range of legal services, available in three languages.

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Client Reviews

Our Clients Love Us

Don’t just take our word for it; here’s a sample of what clients are saying about us.

  • Our Lawyer Katrina provided expert knowledge and advice for our specific plans and we found her to be extremely patient, creative, understanding and professional throughout the whole process. The pricing was very reasonable considering the time and effort provided for a quality result and as expected there were no ‘surprises’ with the billing. At every contact there was impeccable execution from everyone on their team and we highly recommend Westcoast Wills & Estates.

    Roy A

  • I was first introduced to Mike Beishuizen when he guided my mother through being the executor of my father’s estate. My mother was in her 80’s and couldn’t have picked a better person for the job. Mike put her at ease with his professional and pleasant demeanor. He was empathetic and patiently explained everything so she understood each step. He also advised her with Last Will and Testament, and Power of Attorney decisions.

    When my mother passed away, I was the executor of her estate. Because of Mom’s experiences with Mike, it was an easy decision to retain him. I had some understanding of an executor’s job, but like a lot of rookie executors, I encountered quite a few complexities on the journey. Mike’s advice and guidance went above what I expected from a lawyer. He was very thorough. I appreciate his wisdom on mitigating potential family falling outs.

    Ralph H.

  • My husband and I just had our wills completed by Westcoast Wills and Estates and I highly recommend them, they were a pleasure to work with, they took the time to really understand what we were needing. They gave us exactly that and educated us on many other issues. The office is easy to find, with plenty of parking and because they have day and evening appointments to accommodate all schedules, there really is no reason not to use them. I also love the fact that they give back to the community through a donation program.

    Sherry J.

  • Doing a first Will was very daunting for me, but I’m so glad that I found Aimee at West Coast Wills! She walked me through every step, never making me feel stupid for the questions I asked. She was professional, knowledgeable and very kind. I have no hesitation recommending Aimee, and if they other lawyers are like her, the whole firm.

    Anna O

  • When I first reached out to Westcoast Wills to enquire about their services, unlike other law firms I had reached out to, they responded quickly and provided me with all of the information and pricing on the first phone call. (No hidden pricing!!) It was a pleasure to work with Jessica and Tori throughout our retainer agreement with the firm. Tori kept us on track for the administrative process and Jessica was very thorough, explaining the details and importance of each clause in each agreement. She was very patient with both of us! I highly recommend Westcoast Wills and Estates!!

    Donald D

  • My wife died in late January and I turned to West Coast Wills & Estates to assist me with probating her will. Aron Chitsaz was the lawyer that I dealt with. He was very understanding, competent and patient with me throughout this emotional and , sometimes, frustrating procedure. I received prompt and excellent service both in answering my inquiries and in completing the necessary documentation for the probate. I was impressed that from the time that the probate documents were filed to the time a settlement request was received was only about six weeks. This illustrates that Aron was thorough in the preparation of the necessary documents for probate. I was also pleased that Westcoast Wills charged me a fixed cost for completing the probate rather than having an open ended arrangement. I was very pleased with the service that I got from Westcoast Wills and Aron Chitsaz. I will use them again to complete my own will.

    Robin S

ABout Us

Wills and Probate Lawyers with a Difference

With nine wills and probate lawyers, our law firm is unique. We offer flexible meeting times including weekdays and evenings to accommodate your busy schedule, and personal, focused, professional advice that is caring and comprehensive. Our rates are highly competitive, and we conduct our business as responsibly and sustainably as possible.

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Recent News and Insights

We share company news, helpful resources, and answers to common questions.

Probate Law FAQs

These are just some of the most common questions our firm gets about probate law.

Explore All Probate Law FAQs

Probate means to “prove.” In the case of wills, it refers to the process of proving to the court that a will is legally valid as the last will and disclosing all of the assets in the estate. Oftentimes people loosely use the word “probate” to refer to the much broader process of estate administration though – only a part of which is applying for probate from the court. Estate administration ranges from arranging the funeral, preparing the probate application, filing taxes, paying other debts, distributing the estate, and dozens of steps in between.

Probate is handled by the Supreme Court of BC. The Vancouver Probate Registry currently has a roughly two month delay between the time an application is received and the time that they approve the application. In recent years, that delay has been as much as six months and as short as two weeks. Other court registries have different delay times, but dealing with a registry out of town has its own challenges. See here for a map of the different Supreme Court probate registries throughout the province: https://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/court_locations_and_contacts.aspx

Commonly, estates take anywhere from eight months to two years to wrap up. Frustratingly, a lot of this time is spent waiting for court processing times and tax clearance certificates. Estates with complex assets or disputes can take much longer to administer. Westcoast Wills helps executors navigate the system in the most time and cost-efficient manner.

Simply speaking, the probate fee is a tax charged by the court to approve a will, or in the case of an intestate’s estate, approve the administrator of the estate. In BC, the fee is currently roughly 1.4% of all the assets passing through the estate. We have a probate fee calculator here to help you approximate what the probate fee will be.

Wills FAQs

Our highly experienced legal team often hears these questions about wills and estate planning in BC.

Explore All Estate Planning FAQs

A will is a document where you say who gets your assets when you die. A will can also name successor guardians for minor children and your preferences for funeral, burial or cremation. An estate planning lawyer in Vancouver can help you prepare a will.

A will is a basic document that everyone should have because it says what happens with your assets after you die.

Firstly, choose a lawyer who specializes in wills and possibly one other area of law. The phrase “Jack of all trades, master of none” definitely applies to law, as there are way too many intricacies with every area of law to keep on top of all of them. Wills law is routinely the area of practice with most negligence claims against lawyers because all to many lawyers (who do not focus on this area) do not appreciate the subtle complexities in estate planning.

Secondly, many law firm websites have a review section from previous clients. There are also independent review websites, such as Yelp, Google and Facebook. Westcoast Wills is proud to have so many happy clients and you can see our Google reviews and Facebook reviews.

When someone dies without a will in BC, their estate is said to be intestate. In BC, the distribution of an intestate estate is determined by the Wills, Estates and Succession Act (WESA). Here’s a general outline of how the distribution works:
Spouse or common-law partner: If the deceased person had a spouse or common-law partner but no children, that person is generally entitled to the entire estate.

Spouse or common-law partner and children: If the deceased person had a spouse or partner and children, generally, the spouse or partner receives a preferential share of the estate (currently set at $300,000), and the remainder is divided between the spouse or partner and the children. There are variations of this in the law, resulting in different distribution schemes for different circumstance. A probate lawyer in Vancouver can help you determine exactly where the estate will go.

Children but no spouse or common-law partner: If the deceased person had children but no spouse or partner, the estate is divided equally among the children.

No spouse, partner, or children: the laws dictate that the deceased’s estate will generally pass to the deceased person’s next of kin, using parentelic distribution, with some exceptions.

If no eligible relatives can be found, the estate is transferred to the provincial government.

In cases where there is no will, it is generally advisable to seek legal advice from a wills lawyer to understand the specific implications and process involved in administering the estate according to the intestacy laws in BC. An estate planning lawyer from Westcoast Wills & Estates can provide guidance and assistance in navigating the probate process.

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Our estate planning lawyers speak English, Cantonese, and Vietnamese, and offer flexible appointment times to fit your schedule. We’re just a phone call away.

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