What are wills and trusts?

Wills and trusts are estate planning tools that can help ensure your assets are protected and entrusted to your heirs, besides your spouse.


“A will is a legal document that contains your wishes regarding the care of your children, as well as the distribution of your assets after your death.”


Failure to prepare a will typically leave decisions about your dependents and assets in the hands of judges or government officials. You can prepare a valid will yourself, but you should have the document witnessed to decrease the chance of any challenges that may occur later.

  • The best way to ensure everything is in order is to have your will prepared by a trusts and estates attorney. You may want to have a will prepared so that:
  • You can be clear about who gets what and how much of your assets.
  • You can keep your assets out of the hands of people you don't want (like an estranged relative).
  • You can identify who should care for your children.
  • Your heirs will have a faster and easier time getting access to your assets.
  • You can plan to save your estate money on taxes. You can also give gifts and charitable donations, which can help offset the estate tax.


“A trust is a legal relationship in which the legal title to property is entrusted to a person or legal entity (commonly referred to as trustee) with a fiduciary duty to hold and use it for the benefit of someone else”. 


A trust can be used to determine how a person’s money should be managed and distributed while that person is alive, or after their death. Having prepared a trust can: 

  • Help avoid taxes and probate
  • Protect assets from creditors
  • Dictate the terms of inheritance for beneficiaries


The disadvantages of trusts are that they require time and money to create, and cannot be easily revoked.


Although there are many different types of trusts, each fits into one or more of the following categories:


Living or Testamentary

  • A living trust is a written document in which an individual's assets are provided as a trust for the individual's use and benefit during his lifetime. These assets are transferred to his beneficiaries at the time of the individual's death. The individual has a successor trustee who is in charge of moving the assets.
  • A testamentary trust also called a will trust, specifies how the assets of an individual are designated after the individual's death. 


Revocable or Irrevocable

  • A revocable trust can be changed or terminated by the trustor during his lifetime. Living trusts can be revocable or irrevocable. 
  • An irrevocable trust is one the trustor cannot change once it's established or one that becomes irrevocable upon his death. The fact that it is unalterable, containing assets that have been permanently moved out of the trustor's possession, is what allows estate taxes to be minimized or avoided altogether. Testamentary trusts can only be irrevocable. 


Funded or Unfunded

  • A funded trust has assets put into it by the trustor during his lifetime. 
  • Unfunded trusts can become funded upon the trustor’s death or remain unfunded. 

 

Why do I need a certified translation of a will and trust?

Legal wills and trusts are often vague and full of loopholes, which is why it’s imperative to make sure it is accurately translated. The best way to ensure a translation is completed accurately is to work with a certified translator trained in translating legal documents. Otherwise, a minor misuse of vocabulary could create confusion or be open to misinterpretation. 


Keep in mind that wills and trusts relate to the law of the land where they were initially written. This is why it is essential to work with competent legal translators familiar with legal terminology and local law, as they are subject to constant change and revision. 


If the will or trust is not in English or French, you will need to have it translated by a certified translator. You will need a certified translation of a will or trust because most institutions, if not all, that require you to present a will or trust are formal institutions (ex. Government institutions, legal services, insurance agencies, business and financial institutions etc.). These institutions require the most accurate translation available, and the best way to ensure that is to obtain certified translations. If you are not sure what a certified translation is, you can read our blog here. 


Langia offers certified translation services of wills and trusts in 107 languages into English or French. You can upload a will and trust by clicking the link below.

 

How can I get a will and trust translated?

Wills and trusts are almost always used for legal purposes, so they must be translated by a certified translator. A certified translator is a unique and reserved title for qualified individuals who have registered with the translator’s associations in their state or province (ex. ATIO, ATIA, STIBC, ATA) and subscribed to the association's code of professional ethics.  


Read our blog to learn more about the different types of certifications available in translation services.

 

On the rare occasion that a certified translator is not available (ex. There are no certified translators for a specific language combination), an affidavit of translation or a notarized translation may be accepted by most institutions. However, make sure to contact the institution to which you will submit the translated documents to ensure your translations will be accepted if a certified translator cannot complete them.  


How can I send a will and trust to a translator?

If your documents are not in English or French, you will have to produce a certified translation of all of these documents in English or French. 


To get a will and trust translated into English or French, you can :


  • Send the hard copy of the will and trust to a translator or translation agency. However, this option may be risky because the document(s) can end up in the wrong hands or get lost on the way.  
  • Email the translator or the translation agency a scan of the original copy of your document(s). While this option is safer and much more efficient than sending a hard copy document, it still requires a lot of back and forth between you and the translator or agent, if working with a translation agency. 
  • Upload the will and trust on the Langia app or website. This is the most efficient and secure way to send your documents to a translator. There are no third-party operators that look over your confidential documents, and no back and forth emails that could take hours or days to conclude. 


With the Langia app, all you have to do is upload your documents and select when you wish to have the translator complete your document(s). With this information, you will be able to see the cost of the project. Next, all you have to do is select a translator to complete your request: no unnecessary dialogue, confidentiality or security issues, or unresponsive translators and agencies. 


How much does it cost to obtain a certified translation of a will and trust?

A certified translation of wills and trusts can cost around CAD$0.34-0.51 per word, depending on various factors, including turnaround time, the rarity of the language, certification, and location.  


Average translation agencies require you to email a scanned copy of the will and trust before they can provide a quote. They may even require back and forth communication via email before they accurately determine the exact price. 


Lucky for you, unnecessary communication is in the past with Langia. Now you can instantly upload the will and trust on the Langia website or app and select a few essential details about your project (ex. due date, certification, source and target language) to see the price immediately. The best part is that you get to decide the due date and time. So, if you need to have the will and trust translated by the end of today, then that is what you shall have! No more back and forth emails with numerous parties to simply get the price of a translated will and trust.


With Langia, it takes less time to submit a document for translation than to get a quote from an average translation agency or professional translator. 


Upload a will and trust now to get a quote instantly!


Where can I find Wills and Trusts translation services near me?

Almost all translators and translation agencies provide online services. Although a hard copy may be required in rare cases, the interaction between a customer and translator or agency almost always occurs online. The internet brings together customers and translators across the globe and provides a medium to work together despite physical boundaries. 


For example, if you live in Toronto and require a translation of an essay from English to Hindi, you can find hundreds of translators within Canada and thousands worldwide. Although it may be compelling to work with a translator who charges thirteen cents per word, it may not always be the wisest option. 


With any translation service provider, quality must always be your top priority. This is especially important if you require certified translations. As a resident of Toronto, you can work with translators certified by other provinces within Canada, such as ATIA (The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta) or STIBC (Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia). However, translators living in another county (except the USA) are not accepted as certified translators in Canada, meaning their work will not be accepted as a certified translation.  


Langia provides professional translation services throughout Canada. You can get your wills and trusts translated in Toronto, Ontario, without hassle.


If you wish to get your wills and trusts translated by a certified translator in your province, click the link below to upload your document and instantly receive a free quote. Once you enter the details of your document (ex. source and target language, due date, certification), you can select a certified translator who will have your document(s) ready by the turnaround time.