Changing an Ontario Will: Codicil or New Will? An Ottawa Review Checklist

Published October 13, 2026 · Meysami Law Professional Corp. · Ottawa

A will should reflect current instructions, but writing in the margin, crossing out a name or attaching an unsigned note can create uncertainty instead of a valid change. Ontario law regulates how a will is altered, revoked and replaced. Ottawa residents reviewing an older will should begin with the signed document and obtain advice about whether a codicil or a complete replacement best records the intended plan.

Review the current signed will before making changes

Locate the original and any codicils. Confirm the estate trustee, substitute appointments, beneficiaries, gifts, residue clause and special directions. Prepare a list of family, asset and appointment changes since signing. A copy or memory of the document may not reveal execution problems, later amendments or missing pages.

Do not make informal handwritten alterations

Under Ontario's Succession Law Reform Act, a post-signing alteration generally has no effect unless made with the required formalities, apart from words or effects rendered no longer apparent. Crossing out text, adding initials or attaching a note can therefore produce ambiguity, accidental partial revocation or litigation over the original wording.

A codicil changes a will but must be properly made

A codicil is a testamentary document that amends or confirms an existing will. It is not an informal memo. It must be prepared and executed using the applicable will-making rules. A narrow, clearly coordinated change may be suitable for a codicil, but multiple codicils can make the final plan harder to read and administer.

A replacement will can consolidate the plan

A new will may be clearer when beneficiaries, estate trustees, guardianship appointments, trusts or the residue plan have changed substantially. The new document should address revocation of earlier wills while avoiding unintended effects on any separate will or planning structure. Do not destroy the old original until the replacement has been validly executed and the lawyer confirms the document plan.

Coordinate separation, beneficiaries and jointly held assets

A change in circumstances does not automatically rewrite every provision. Ontario legislation contains specific rules affecting separated spouses, and pensions, plans, insurance policies, registered accounts and jointly owned property may pass outside the estate. Review the will alongside current provider designations and ownership records rather than assuming one document controls everything.

Protect the final original and tell the right people

After signing, keep the original in a secure, retrievable location and record where it is stored. Ask what should happen to earlier originals and copies. The estate trustee should know how to locate the current document without receiving confidential details that are unnecessary during the will-maker's lifetime. Review powers of attorney separately because changing a will does not replace those documents.

This article is general information as of October 13, 2026, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and circumstances can change. Contacting the firm does not create a lawyer-client relationship.