Designating a Beneficiary on Non- Registered Assets

There are a number of planning strategies that can be used to bypass or minimize probate. Below is a common strategy to make your estate as efficient as possible.

Designating a Beneficiary on Non-Registered Assets
Typically, non-registered assets do not allow a beneficiary designation and automatically go to your estate to be probated. Segregated funds can be used to designate a beneficiary on non-registered assets. Segregated funds are solely sold by life insurance companies. While the MER’s can be a little higher on segregated funds, they offer many of the same investment options that some mutual fund companies offer. Therefore, if non- registered money is invested in a segregated fund, they too will pass probate.