YOUTH & THE LAW | I'm Turning 18: Planning for the Unexpected.

• Date: 01 March 2021

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Making plans in case something happens to you unexpectedly or you die is not just for older adults.

You're turning 18. It's time to celebrate! But it's also time to face the responsibilities of adulthood. And one of those responsibilities is planning for the unexpected.

Maybe you've heard your parents or grandparents talk about their Will? Or their medical directive or power of attorney?

What are these legal documents?

Chances are, you have heard of these documents. But in case you have not, here is a quick summary.

A Will is legal statement of how you want your property to be dealt with after your death. The property distributed following the instructions in a Will is called the estate. When you make a Will, you are the testator. The person you put in charge of carrying out the wishes in your Will is called your Personal Representative. A Will is only used after you die. The law for Wills is set out in Alberta's Wills and Succession Act.

A Personal Directive (sometimes called a living will or medical directive) is a written, signed, dated and witnessed legal document. It gives someone else the right to make...