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By Canadian Press

Will power

Canadians rush to prepare wills as virus spreads

Apr 13, 2020 | 2:41 PM

TORONTO – The spread of COVID-19 across the country and around the globe appears to have led to a sharp demand for wills.

Erin Bury, CEO of the Toronto-based online service Willful, says her business has been busy ever since March 12 — the day after actor Tom Hanks announced he had tested positive for coronavirus and the day after the NBA shut down.

Bury says sales soared by 620 per cent during the first week of April compared to the same period a month earlier.

Dying without a will risks having your assets distributed according to a provincial formula, which varies across the country.

If there is no surviving parent, minor children would go to whoever applies to be the guardian — even if it’s a relative you didn’t like — and pets most often end up in shelters.

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It also takes longer to administer an estate and leads to guesswork and uncertainty — and often arguments — among family members.

Also key is power of attorney, particularly since hospitalized COVID-19 aren’t allowed visitors, and often can’t express their wishes to doctors or loved ones.