The Surviving Spouse
A calm decision framework for the months after losing a spouse or partner.
Last updated: June 25, 2026
Three phases. Now stabilizes. Soon administers. Later redesigns. Nothing urgent is missed, and nothing important is rushed.
Founder & Lead Advisor, Insight Planning
Last reviewed: June 2026
Key Insight From This Guide
Almost nothing needs to be decided right away. The protection is in the sequence: stabilize first, administer second, redesign last.
This guide is for you if
- You have recently lost a spouse or partner and need to know what comes first.
- You are supporting someone through a loss and want the right sequence.
- You want to prepare now so your partner is never left without a plan.
This guide is not for you if
- You want to make major financial decisions immediately rather than in sequence.
- You want one answer that ignores provincial and cross-border differences.
- You expect this to replace legal, tax, or estate advice.
Key Questions
Answers to the questions people actually ask.
Select any question to expand the answer.What should you do in the first 90 days after losing a spouse or partner?
Stabilize, do not decide. Confirm account access, keep essential bills and insurance premiums paid, order multiple death certificates, locate the will, and notify the Canada Revenue Agency and Service Canada.
Which decisions should wait, and for how long?
Defer every major irreversible decision for roughly six to twelve months: selling the home, restructuring the portfolio, large gifts, relocating. Grief measurably affects judgment, and the effect fades.
What has to happen in the first year to settle the estate?
Assess probate, calendar the final tax return, and transition registered accounts. Spousal rollovers on RRSPs, RRIFs, and TFSAs preserve tax deferral only when the paperwork is done correctly and on time.
Do common-law partners automatically inherit in Ontario?
No. Ontario's Succession Law Reform Act gives common-law partners no automatic inheritance rights. Protection comes from a current will, joint ownership with right of survivorship, and named beneficiary designations.
What changes if there are U.S. or foreign assets?
U.S.-situs assets above USD $60,000 generally require a U.S. estate tax filing even where treaty relief eliminates the tax. Inherited IRAs and foreign property each need local advice before any transfer or sale.
Key Takeaway
Almost nothing has to be decided right away. Stabilize cash flow and notifications first, handle probate, the final tax return, and registered account transfers second, and rebuild the plan for one person last. If a decision cannot be undone, it can usually be deferred.