Although they may take on estate planning responsibilities, they are often not financial beneficiaries
Canadian families continue to rely heavily on women when critical life decisions need to be made, including some of the most important financial ones such as estate planning.
Executors, who are responsible for settling estates after death, are more frequently women, with new research revealing that 53% of Canadians appoint a woman to administer their estate, compared with 46% who select a man. The role often involves closing accounts, distributing assets, managing legal paperwork and coordinating funeral arrangements, all duties that can require months of administrative work.
Willful analyzed 85,587 wills alongside 121,598 incapacity planning documents, which allow individuals to appoint someone to manage healthcare or financial matters if they become unable to do so themselves.
The trend becomes even more pronounced when Canadians plan for medical incapacity. Fifty-five per cent name a woman to make healthcare decisions on their behalf, compared with 45% who appoint a man. Among men, reliance on women is especially clear: 86% designate a woman to step in if they lose decision-making capacity.
When a spouse or partner is not selected, Canadians frequently turn to female relatives and friends, with 63% naming either a sister or a female friend as their preferred medical decision-maker. When parents are chosen, nearly seven in 10 people appoint their mother rather than their father.
Women represent 57% of alternate executors and 64% of secondary healthcare decision-makers, suggesting families often view them as the most dependable option if a first choice becomes unavailable.
Despite the significant responsibility attached to these roles, women do not always benefit financially.
The analysis found that when women are tasked with making medical decisions, 34% are not named as beneficiaries in the related will. Similarly, 33% of women appointed to manage financial matters during incapacity — including paying bills or overseeing real estate — are not the primary recipients of estate assets.
While executors may receive compensation under provincial rules, healthcare decision-makers are typically unpaid, and financial attorneys are often reimbursed only for expenses incurred. As a result, many individuals — often women — take on complex legal, administrative and emotional obligations without meaningful financial recognition.
The findings, released ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, highlight a persistent imbalance in how responsibility is distributed within families, with women frequently entrusted to navigate complex financial and healthcare decisions during some of life’s most challenging moments.
