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Successions and wills

The register of testamentary dispositions

The notaries of Quebec, guardians from the beginning of the most intimate secrets of Quebecers, created in 1961 a registration system to ensure better protection for your wills. This system, known as the Register of Testamentary Dispositions of the Chambre des notaires du Québec, now contains more than 6 million will inscriptions.

As a result of changes made to the Register in 1978, wills other than notarial wills may now benefit from the advantages of the Register.

Thus, a holograph will or a will signed in the presence of witnesses may be entered in the Register in the same manner as a notarial will. Registration must, however, be done through a notary of your choice.

Conceived and created to guarantee that your last wishes are respected, the Register has definite advantages:

• It ensures the confidentiality of the will, since only its existence is registered

• It facilitates the tracing of your last will after your death

• It eliminates the risk that your will never come to light or is found late in the settlement of the succession

• It avoids the possibility that the will, even if in holograph form or made in the presence of witnesses, may be accidentally destroyed or maliciously done away with by heirs disappointed with its provisions.

With these advantages, the Register greatly facilitates the discovery of your testamentary dispositions and accelerates the settlement of your succession.