There are no "i"s or "t"s in "Oscar", but we dot and cross them anyway.

[metawidget]

The dust has settled from Oscar's arrival to a point - he's looking around more, more expressive, and all his bodily functions seem to be up and running just fine! I can change a diaper, sometimes before Oscar objects too strongly, and he drowses long enough that Elizabeth and I managed to sit down for a sometimes-one-handed game of Dominion last

Comments

[metawidget]

I think we'll do the 'real thing' soon, but if (for example) details of insurance make the will-writing process easier, I just want to lay things down in the right order to avoid having to retrace steps.

[fuzzyila]

but if (for example) details of insurance make the will-writing process easier

It makes absolutely no difference. A will is very general - it will be "all assets, moveable and immoveable property" and so forth. It does not name specific policies. In QC, you also don't have that many choices - all life insurance policies MUST go to the spouse and then children. You cannot change that.

[fuzzyila]

those will kits from the pharmacy are not valid or sold in QC.

[asimplelife]

I don't know about in QC but in Ontario you can register for a birth cert and SIN number all at once. When it came in I went into the bank and opened an RESP. Avoid third-party companies that do this for you! You will get screwed. Go to a bank or credit union.

However, the two most important points: a will and life insurance. STAT. If you both died in a car accident tomorrow Oscar's fate would be decided by the courts regardless of your preference. Even if you do a handwritten one it's better than nothing at all.

Insurance is simple: I got term through the alumni association for about $40 a month for the both of us for $250k (each, no medical). You may be able to do better through your union, I would call your rep to see. I can't give you the ins-and-outs of term vs. whole life anything is better than nothing.

[metawidget]

Yup, we ticked a few extra boxes and "signed here" a bunch of times when doing the declaration of birth, and now Oscar will have a health card, a SIN, a birth certificate and child benefits attributed to him.

I hadn't thought about the union for insurance - they do seem to have a long list of member deals, likely including life insurance. My thought had been to go to the same company we use for house insurance, but two quotes won't hurt.

[tocityguy]

If you're thinking of insurance it's usually cheap for young children and in the case of one friend, who has MD, it turned out to be a real boon.

[fuzzyila]

check to see if you have life insurance through work first - I presume so

About RESPs

[popelaksmi]

Visit: www.canlearn.ca and read the brochures, especially this one:
http://www.canlearn.ca/eng/saving/resp/brochure/resp.shtml
Look at the checklist towards the end, it has sample questions you can ask companies to help you decide which company/ plan is best for YOU. The FAQ is good too.