There are three ways to die:

With a will.

Without a will.

Or with a will, but there鈥檚 something wrong with it 鈥� often because people have done it themselves without seeking professional advice.

91原创 notary Donna Van Beek said getting a will doesn鈥檛 have to be as costly or scary as many think it will be.

For about $700, most can do all their estate planning, providing peace of mind for themselves and loved ones.

鈥淧eople feel relief when they leave here,鈥� said Van Beek.

The notary with three decades of experience noted all the necessary decisions and subsequent paperwork can be ironed out with two meetings and a little homework.

It鈥檚 a small price to pay to get all the details ironed out before it鈥檚 too late, she said. Estate planning means writing more than just a will. It means establishing a power of attorney (stipulating directions for legal and financial decision making) and possibly developing representation agreements (giving direction for medical care if incapacitated).

Having a will is about more than just filling in a few blanks of an online will kit, then filing that paper away somewhere for safe keeping. But when working with an experienced professional, it doesn鈥檛 have to be as daunting as some fear.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not in control of dying. Some people get notice, some don鈥檛. And I would rather deal with clients who haven鈥檛 been given notice鈥� It really is about preparing for the inevitable,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 try to do estate planning in case things happen鈥� It takes the emotion out of it,鈥� Van Beek explained.

The planning also removes a lot of stresses around matters such as probate, and it can save heirs tens of thousands of dollars.

Some people think notaries don鈥檛 have the necessary experience nor powers for this work, but they can be invaluable with most estate planning, Van Beek assured.

The exceptions are trusts, such as a fund used for a disabled (mentally or physically) beneficiaries, or where efforts are afoot to leave a child out of a will (which is not allowed in B.C.) without appropriate legal agreements.

鈥淐hildren have the right to contest in B.C.,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o, if you have three kids, and you鈥檙e only leaving it to two, you can鈥檛 leave that third child a $1 and be off the hook. A lot of people watch too much TV. In B.C., they have a right to contest, and say 鈥榥o, I want my 1/3鈥�.鈥�

When faced with issues like that, Van Beek is quick to recommend people talk to a lawyer.

But if it鈥檚 dealing with the rest, notaries are there.

She specializes exclusively in estate planning and dealing with 鈥渂lended families鈥� and has more than 14,000 clients. She does some 40 wills a month, so she knows firsthand about dealing with clients fearful of the process.

In particular, Van Beek encourages seniors, who are waffling to act now.

鈥淭he first appointment is usually about an hour, reviewing what do you have. Do you have bank accounts? Do you have a car? Do you have a condo? So, what do you have and where do you want it going?鈥� she explained.

鈥淚n a will, you鈥檙e just saying your estate equals 100 per cent, and you鈥檙e designating how that will be divided. But what that 100 per cent is, you have no idea at this point. It鈥檚 hard to say what we鈥檒l have at the end of our lives, right? So that鈥檚 why we deal with percentages and not amounts鈥� You just don鈥檛 know what you鈥檙e going to have,鈥� Van Beek noted.

That first appointment is also where they talk about representative agreements and powers of attorney.

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鈥淭hen, they go away with some homework, because it鈥檚 the Dear Executor letter that says 鈥業 want to be cremated, I want this painting to go back to Sally, my girlfriend who gave it to me.鈥� Like, that鈥檚 all homework on the side, with no deadline. You put your notes in it, whenever. The will is all about the who. Who鈥檚 in charge and where is it going? The details in the folder on the side [are] subject to change.鈥�

People shouldn鈥檛 have to change their will every time something happens in their lives.

鈥淗owever, every time there鈥檚 a birth, death, marriage, divorce, you should look at it, to see if you want to change it,鈥� Van Beek suggested.

The second appointment with the notary is two to three weeks later for the review, correction, and signing.

Who comes through her door? It鈥檚 often people who have had someone close to them die, and they realize they should get organized.

When adults are younger, they get organized usually because their family is expanding. They get insurance to make sure their loved ones are protected if something happens to them and they make sure there鈥檚 some money set aside for their child鈥檚 education, etc.

鈥淏ut in death we should be organized, too,鈥� Van Beek said.

She has thousands of clients in what she calls her 鈥測ellow folder club.鈥� When they鈥檝e finished working with Van Beek, they simply direct their kids, when they die, to go to a designated drawer or safe (or some are told to call Van Beek鈥檚 office) where they鈥檒l find the yellow folder outlining all their wishes.

鈥淚t makes their life easier to settle when they鈥檙e grieving and everything else,鈥� she said.

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