BC Estate Tax & Liquidity Calculator

Your situation

I have a spouse or common-law partner Most assets can roll to a surviving spouse and defer the bill — it then arrives at the second death. The estimate below shows the bill your family ultimately faces.

I own shares of a private corporation Adds the private company shares section below.

Capital assets (outside registered accounts)

Rental properties, investment portfolios, land — anything with a gain that becomes taxable at death. Exclude your principal residence here.

Current market value

Total original cost

What you paid, plus improvements (your adjusted cost base).

Private company shares

Estimated share value

Original cost of shares

Shares may qualify for the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption

Registered accounts

RRSP / RRIF balance

Without a spousal or dependent-child rollover, the full balance is added as income on the final return.

TFSA balance

Passes tax-free; included only for the probate estimate if no beneficiary is named.

Registered accounts name beneficiaries directly Named beneficiaries keep these accounts out of probate (the income tax still applies to RRSP/RRIF).

Everything else the estate holds

Principal residence value

Usually exempt from capital gains tax, but counted for BC probate if it passes through the estate.

Other estate assets

Cash, vehicles, contents — anything else flowing through the will.

Resources already in place

Liquid assets available to the estate

Cash and investments that could realistically pay the bill without selling what the family wants to keep.

Existing life insurance payable at death

Personal or corporate coverage already in force.

What this estimate assumes

What it deliberately leaves out: post-mortem tax planning outcomes, Alternative Minimum Tax, US or foreign assets, charitable strategies, trusts, and the corporate second-layer tax described above. Each can move the result materially — in either direction. That's the point of a professional review.

This is educational information, not advice. The figures produced by this tool are illustrative estimates based on the stated assumptions and current-year rates. They are not tax, legal, accounting, insurance, or investment advice, and no decision should be based on them. Tax rules, rates, and CRA administrative positions change. Consult your own qualified tax and legal advisors, who can calculate your actual position. Insurance services are available to British Columbia residents only.

How BC probate fees are estimated

Probate is the court process that confirms a will and the executor's authority. BC charges a probate fee under the Probate Fee Act, based on the gross value of the property that passes through the estate:

First $25,000: no fee.
$25,000 to $50,000: $6 for every $1,000 (or part of $1,000).
Over $50,000: $14 for every $1,000 (or part of $1,000).

Worked example. Say $800,000 passes through the will. Nothing is charged on the first $25,000. The band from $25,000 to $50,000 is 25 × $6 = $150. The $750,000 above $50,000 is 750 × $14 = $10,500. The probate fee is $10,650. Because the estate is worth more than $25,000, there is also a basic $200 court fee to apply for probate, for $10,850 in total — the figure this estimator shows for an $800,000 probate base.

Assets with a named beneficiary, or held in a genuine joint tenancy with right of survivorship, generally pass outside the estate and are not counted. For the bigger picture — the final tax return, RRSPs and RRIFs, and where probate fits in — read Inheritance Tax in BC: What Estates Pay.

Frequently asked questions

Does BC have an estate tax?

No. Neither BC nor Canada has an estate or inheritance tax. Instead, tax is paid on the deceased's final return — capital property is generally treated as sold at fair market value, and RRSP or RRIF balances are added to income — and BC charges probate fees on assets that pass through the estate.

Are RRSPs taxed at death in Canada?

Generally, yes. The full value of an RRSP or RRIF is included as income on the final return unless it rolls over to a surviving spouse or common-law partner (or, in some cases, a financially dependent child or grandchild). Naming a beneficiary can keep the account out of probate, but it does not remove the income tax.

Does probate apply to everything I own?

No. BC probate fees apply only to property that passes to the executor through the estate. Life insurance, RRSPs, RRIFs and TFSAs with a named beneficiary, and property held in a genuine joint tenancy with right of survivorship, generally pass outside it. Adding an adult child to a title has its own tax and legal risks, so get legal advice first.

Boota Sidhu — Wealth Coaching & Legacy Strategies
Licensed Life & Accident and Sickness Insurance Agent (British Columbia)

If this estimate raises questions about how your family would fund the bill, a conversation is the right next step — brought together with your own accountant and legal counsel.

Ask about a consultation