When Margaret and James married in 2005, it was a second marriage for both of them. They had no children, so when they did their financial planning, their wills were clear that 100% of their estates would go to the other. Believing this was sufficient protection, they built a life and continued to grow their wealth.

Sadly, Margaret’s sudden passing in 2019 exposed a serious hole in their estate plan. Her registered retirement savings plan (RRSP), worth $450,000 and the bulk of her estate, listed her first husband as beneficiary. To make matters worse, her RRSP would not only go to someone she was no longer married to, but her estate would also be required to pay a substantial tax bill.