GUÍA
Acceder a cuentas y bienes
Una guía sencilla para albaceas y familia cuando alguien ya no puede gestionar sus asuntos.
No es asesoramiento legal ni fiscal. Las normas varían por provincia o estado. Si duda, contacte a un abogado de sucesiones o a la institución.
- Paso 1Find the will and papersLook for the original will, account lists, and IDs.
- Paso 2Contact institutionsBanks, brokers, insurers, and the land registry as needed.
- Paso 3Prove your authorityWill, probate papers, and government ID.
- Paso 4Receive or transfer assetsFollow each institution’s estate process.
First things to do+Who acts, what papers matter, and what to avoid.
- Confirm who is named as executor (or estate trustee) in the will. If there is no will, provincial rules decide who may apply to administer the estate.
- Gather the original will, a government-issued ID for the executor, and a list of banks, brokers, insurers, and property.
- Obtain an official proof of passing from the funeral home or vital statistics office - institutions usually need a certified copy.
- Do not log in with the account holder’s passwords to move money. That can freeze accounts and create legal problems.
- Speak with an estates lawyer if the estate is large, contested, or includes property in more than one province.
Good to know
- Probate documents have different names by province (for example, Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee in Ontario).
- Quebec uses different estate terminology and notarial practice - confirm local requirements early.
- Named beneficiaries on some registered accounts may receive funds outside the estate, separate from the will.
Bank and cash accounts+Notify the bank; use the estate process, not old logins.
- Call or visit the bank’s estates team and report that the account holder can no longer manage the account.
- Ask what documents they need (typically proof of passing, will, and probate or letters of administration).
- Open an estate account if the bank requires one for settling bills and distributing funds.
- Close or transfer personal accounts only after the bank confirms your authority.
Good to know
- Joint accounts with right of survivorship may pass to the surviving owner outside probate - confirm how the account was titled.
- Chequing and savings usually cannot name a beneficiary the way registered investments can; the will and estate process apply.
- Keep receipts for funeral and estate expenses paid from personal funds - you may be reimbursed from the estate.
Investments (stocks and funds)+Brokers handle registered and taxable accounts differently.
- Contact each brokerage or dealer’s estates team with proof of passing and proof of your authority.
- Check whether registered accounts (TFSA, RRSP, RRIF, FHSA, and similar) name a beneficiary or successor - those may pay out directly.
- For non-registered (taxable) investment accounts, expect the assets to move through the estate under the will.
- Ask whether transfers can be in-kind or must be sold to cash; tax reporting on the final return is usually the executor’s responsibility.
Good to know
- A spouse named as TFSA successor holder can often take over the account; other beneficiaries typically receive a payout instead.
- RRSP value is often taxable on the final return unless rolled to a spouse under the rules that apply.
- Do not trade in the account with the owner’s login while the estate file is open.
Crypto+Exchanges can work with an executor; private wallets need keys.
- If crypto sits on a Canadian exchange (custodial), contact their support or estates process with the same authority documents used for a brokerage.
- If crypto is in a self-custody wallet, you need the recovery phrase or device access the owner arranged - legal papers alone cannot reset a private key.
- Value holdings as of the relevant date for the estate inventory and tax filings.
- Move assets only into an estate-controlled account or wallet once authority is confirmed - do not mix with personal funds.
Good to know
- Custodial exchange accounts are usually non-registered and flow through the estate / will (no platform beneficiary form in Canada).
- Hardware wallets, seed phrases, and password managers should be findable from the owner’s instructions - not pasted into a public will.
- Without keys or exchange cooperation, self-custody crypto may be permanently inaccessible.
Real estate+Title, probate, and provincial land rules control the transfer.
- Locate the deed or title documents and note whether the property is solely owned, joint, or held another way.
- Ask a real estate or estates lawyer what your province requires to transfer or sell (often probate or equivalent).
- Contact the land registry / land titles office process through your lawyer when you are ready to register a transfer.
- Keep paying property tax, insurance, and mortgage obligations from estate funds while the property is held.
Good to know
- Joint ownership with right of survivorship often passes to the surviving owner without going through the will - confirm the title.
- Rules and fees differ sharply by province; Quebec practice differs from common-law provinces.
- A mortgage lender must be notified; selling or refinancing usually needs clear estate authority.
Insurance and pensions+Named beneficiaries often receive funds outside probate.
- Find life insurance policies, group coverage through employers, and pension or RRSP/RRIF beneficiary designations.
- Contact each insurer or plan administrator with proof of passing and a claim form; named beneficiaries can often claim directly.
- If the estate is the beneficiary, the payout goes to the executor for distribution under the will.
- Keep copies of claim confirmations for the estate file.
Good to know
- Beneficiary designations on insurance and many registered plans usually override the will for that asset.
- Employer benefits may have separate forms - check HR or the plan booklet.
- CPP / QPP survivor benefits (where applicable) are claimed through government programs, not the will alone.
Digital accounts and the Recivity vault+Vault release helps with secrets - banks still need legal authority.
- For Recivity: when the vault is released, named beneficiaries receive access to unlock shared documents and files in the browser.
- Use vault contents as a map (account lists, locations of papers, instructions) - not as a substitute for bank or broker estate procedures.
- For email, cloud, and social accounts, follow each provider’s memorial or executor process; do not share passwords casually.
- Still contact every financial institution with proper estate documents to move money or change ownership.
Good to know
- Recivity unlocks encrypted notes and files for beneficiaries after release; it does not transfer legal title to bank or investment accounts.
- If a recovery question was set, beneficiaries answer it in the browser to decrypt - matching ignores case and extra spaces.
- Export or printed instructions the owner left behind can help you find institutions faster.
Documents checklist+What institutions typically ask for.
- Official proof of passing (certified copies - order several).
- Original will, or confirmation that there is no will.
- Probate / Certificate of Appointment / letters of administration when required.
- Government-issued photo ID for the executor or estate representative.
- Account numbers, policy numbers, and property addresses from the owner’s records or vault.
Good to know
- Some institutions accept a funeral director’s statement while you wait for a government certificate - ask first.
- Small estates may qualify for simplified procedures in some provinces; thresholds vary.
- Store digital copies securely; many banks still want wet-ink or notarized originals by mail.