Posthaste: Betting on an inheritance? Your chances of getting one are higher in this province

financialpost.com:

Canadians are expected to pass on as much as $1 trillion in inheritances over the next decade, though you may have a better chance of being on the receiving end depending on which province you live in, new research suggests.

Just a little more than half of people across Canada say they have the financial means to leave an inheritance to family or friends, according to a recent survey from Canadian Western Bank and conducted by Angus Reid. But for residents of Quebec, that number rises to 60 per cent. In Ontario, 52 per cent of people say an inheritance is in the cards for their loved ones.

People in the Atlantic provinces are least likely to leave an inheritance, with only 42 per cent saying they’re planning to pass money or assets on, Canadian Western Bank said. Rounding out the bottom of the list are Manitoba, where 49 per cent say they’re planning to leave money to the next generation, followed by 47 per cent in both Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

Location isn’t the only factor playing a role in inheritance intentions. Canadian Western Bank’s research shows age is a predictor, too, and 72 per cent of those aged 55 or older expect to pass on money or assets. In comparison, only 44 per cent of people aged between 35 and 54 can say the same. Meanwhile, a third of those below the age of 35 think they won’t have anything to pass on at all.

The bank said those findings suggest Canadians — especially younger generations — are dragging their feet on estate planning, which could cause problems for their heirs down the line. Those who don’t undertake some sort of financial management may end up leaving their heirs with a burden, it cautioned in the report. And without a proper will, they also risk giving up control of who