As winter winds down and spring approaches, it's the perfect time for your annual estate planning review. Before tax season chaos begins, take a few hours to ensure your financial house is in order. This checklist covers the key deadlines and review tasks every Ontario family should address before March ends.

Upcoming Deadline Alert

March 3, 2026: RRSP contribution deadline for 2025 tax year. Contributions after this date apply to your 2026 taxes only.

March 2026 Key Deadlines

Date	Deadline	Action Required
March 3	RRSP Contribution	Last day for 2025 tax year deduction
March 15	Tax Installments	Q1 payment for self-employed/investors
March 31	T3 Trust Returns	Most inter vivos trust returns due
April 30	Personal Taxes	Tax return filing deadline

Annual Estate Planning Checklist

1. Beneficiary Designation Review

Review Beneficiaries On:

□RRSPs and RRIFs
□TFSAs (successor holder and beneficiary)
□Life insurance policies
□Employer group benefits
□Pension plans
□Segregated funds

Key question: Do designations still reflect your wishes? Has anyone named passed away, divorced, or become estranged?

2. Will and Estate Documents

Review Triggers-Update Will If:

?Marriage, divorce, or new relationship
?Birth, adoption, or death in family
?Significant asset changes ($100K+)
?Moved to different province
?Executor unable or unwilling to serve
?More than 5 years since last update

3. Powers of Attorney Verification

POA Checklist:

□POA for Property: Named attorney still appropriate?
□POA for Personal Care: Healthcare wishes still reflected?
□Alternate attorneys designated?
□Documents properly witnessed and signed?
□Attorneys know where to find documents?

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4. Life Insurance Assessment

Annual Insurance Review:

•Coverage adequate? Mortgage balance + income replacement + children's needs
•Beneficiaries current? Matches your intentions
•Policy type appropriate? Term vs. permanent for current stage
•Premium competitive? Shop if health has improved

5. Digital Asset Inventory

Update Your Digital Estate:

□Email accounts and access credentials
□Social media profiles (legacy settings)
□Online banking and investment accounts
□Cryptocurrency holdings and wallet access
□Cloud storage (photos, documents)
□Subscriptions and recurring payments

Store access information securely. Consider a password manager with emergency access.

6. Important Document Location

Can Your Family Find These?

• Original will (not in safety deposit box if executor doesn't have access)
• Powers of Attorney
• Life insurance policies
• Property deeds
• Vehicle titles
• Tax returns (3 years)
• Bank and investment statements
• Safe deposit box location and key

Create a "master document" listing where everything is stored. Share location with executor.

Spring Estate Planning Action Plan

This Week:

□Make RRSP contribution if not done (deadline March 3)
□Log into all accounts and verify beneficiaries

This Month:

□Review will and POA documents
□Update digital asset inventory
□Check life insurance coverage and beneficiaries

Before Tax Season:

□Schedule professional estate review if significant changes
□Update executor on document locations
□Set calendar reminder for next year's review

Get Your Estate Plan Spring-Ready

Our estate planning specialists help GTA families ensure their plans are current and comprehensive. Schedule your annual review with a professional.

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End of Winter Estate Planning Checklist: March 2026 Deadlines