Probate Avoidance Savings Calculator — Canada

Common strategies include naming beneficiaries directly on RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs, and life insurance (they pass outside the estate); holding assets in joint tenancy with right of survivorship; using an alter ego or joint partner trust; and gifting during your lifetime. Each has tax and control trade-offs and should be reviewed with an advisor.

Ontario (1.5% over $50,000) and Nova Scotia (about 1.695%) charge the highest estate administration tax with no cap, so probate avoidance saves the most there. Alberta caps fees at $525 regardless of estate size, and Quebec charges only nominal fees for notarial wills, so avoidance is far less valuable there.

Yes. Registered plans (RRSP, RRIF, TFSA) and life insurance with a named beneficiary (other than the estate) pass directly to that person and are not part of the probated estate, so no estate administration tax applies to those assets. Note this does not necessarily avoid income tax on registered plans at death.

Not always. Joint ownership can trigger unintended tax, family law, and creditor issues, and can spark litigation between beneficiaries. In low-fee provinces like Alberta the savings are minimal. Weigh the probate savings against complexity, loss of control, and potential tax before restructuring.