Willful's third annual The Great Delay report looks at the sandwich generation for the first time, and shows many Canadians are dipping into savings, hoping for a windfall to achieve financial goals
TORONTO, Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Canadians got more done with their money this year, and they still feel worse off, according to The Great Delay 2026, the third annual report from Willful, Canada's leading online estate planning platform, released today for Make a Will Month and Financial Literacy Month.
More Canadians completed a financial to-do this year than last (77% vs. 66%), including saving for the future, paying off debt, and contributing to a TFSA. However, two in five (40%) say they're in a worse financial position than a year ago, up from 37% in 2025.
Almost every Canadian (97%) says their grocery costs went up over the past year, by an average of 21%, and 84% say gas went up, by an average of 24%. Nearly half (47%) dipped into savings to cover day-to-day expenses. Aside from a drop in everyday costs or inflation easing (64%), more than one in three (37%) Canadians say a cash gift or prize would most likely help them achieve their financial goals, and 27% say an inheritance would help.
As Canadians grappled with everyday costs, what slipped was planning for the worst. The number of Canadians who delayed getting or updating a will rose from 7% to 11%, the biggest jump of any delayed financial to-do, and 58% of Canadians don't have a will, a number that hasn't moved in three years.
For the first time, the report looks at the sandwich generation, the 24% of Canadians with at least one living parent and a child of any age. They're more likely to have delayed a financial task this year at 63% vs. 55% of Canadians overall. About two in three (65%) don't have a will, compared with 58% of Canadians overall, even though they're far more likely to have a mortgage (48% vs. 35%) and an RESP (40% vs. 16%).
"As a mom of two and a daughter, I'm part of the sandwich generation, and I know how quickly the pressures stack up," said Erin Bury, co-founder and CEO of Willful. "The data shows this group is working harder on their finances than anyone, protecting their kids and their income, and still putting their own plan last. You can't control gas prices or the economy. You can control whether your will is done. It's the one to-do on the list that protects everyone else on it."
Key findings from The Great Delay 2026:
Food and fuel drove the squeeze
- 97% of Canadians say their grocery costs went up over the past 12 months, by an average of 21%. 84% say gas went up, by an average of 24%.
- 40% feel worse off than a year ago, up from 37% in 2025. Gen Z is the only generation where more people feel better off (36%) than worse off (29%).
- 47% have used savings to cover day-to-day expenses, the third straight year near half. 82% would need more monthly income to reach their goals, an average of $818 a month.
- 37% say receiving a cash gift or prize would most likely help them achieve their financial goals, and 27% point to receiving an inheritance
Canadians are still delaying life's biggest to-dos
- 55% delayed a major financial to-do this year because of the economy, rising to 70% of Millennials.
- 11% delayed getting or updating a will, up from 7% in 2025. Over half (58%) of Canadians don't have a will, largely unchanged over three years.
- 83% of Millennials don't have a will, but 34% have a child under 18 and 45% have a mortgage.
- On Willful, will completions rose 10% in the first nine months of 2026, and Gen Z completions grew 71%, the fastest of any generation.
The sandwich generation is doing the most and falling further behind
- 81% completed a financial to-do this year (vs. 77% overall), yet 63% delayed at least one (vs.55%).
- 65% don't have a will (vs. 58%), even though 48% have a mortgage (vs. 35%) and 40% have an RESP (vs. 16%).
- 88% need more monthly income to reach their goals (vs. 82%), and 52% dipped into savings (vs. 47%).
Families are still unprepared
- 63% of Canadians aren't fully prepared for a financial emergency, up from 60% in 2025. Only 28% have both discussed a plan with family and put documents in place.
- 63% say a parent or family member dying without a will would cause stress in the family, and 51% say it would make financial and legal tasks hard to manage. Among the sandwich generation, it's 74% and 59%.
The full report is available at willful.co/blog/great-delay-2026.
How Canadians can start planning this Make a Will Month:
Willful is on a mission to make estate planning affordable and accessible for every Canadian. For Make a Will Month, Canadians can get 25% off any Willful plan from November 2 to 23, and when they choose Premium x2 for two adults, they'll receive a $50 gift card to a retailer or restaurant of their choice.
About Willful
Willful makes it affordable, convenient, and easy for Canadians to create a legal will and other estate planning documents online by following a clear step-by-step process. Willful's platform was developed in collaboration with leading estate lawyers and has pricing plans starting at $129. Willful is available in all 10 provinces, with a fully bilingual offering in Quebec. Since launching in 2017, over 500,000 Canadians have trusted Willful with their estate planning journey. To get started, visit willful.co.
Methodology
Angus Reid survey
Willful commissioned Angus Reid to conduct this survey from September 1 to 10, 2026, among a sample of 1,501 adults living in Canada who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The study included a national general population sample, with a key subgroup of sandwich generation Canadians, defined as respondents with at least one living parent and a child of any age. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of ±2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Year-over-year comparisons draw on Willful's 2025 and 2024 Great Delay surveys, also conducted with Angus Reid.
Willful platform data
The Willful platform data in this report comes from anonymized, aggregated activity on Willful between January 1 and September 30, 2026, compared with the same period in 2025, and was pulled on October 1, 2026. A will or power of attorney counts as completed the first time a user generates that document in the period, so updates to an existing will aren't included. Power of attorney figures aren't reported for Quebec. Generations are based on the age users report (Gen Z born 1997 to 2012, Millennials 1981 to 1996, Gen X 1965 to 1980, Boomers 1946 to 1964). All platform figures reflect Canadians using Willful, including those who joined through employer or partner programs, and aren't a representative sample of all Canadians.
Media Contact
Charlize Alcaraz, Willful, 1 437-983-3317, [email protected], willful.co
SOURCE Willful
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