Wills And Estate
Codicil to Last Will and Testament
Make one limited, precisely identified change to an existing Will, while confirming that everything else in your plan stays in force.
Available product levels
Customized Agreements
$29.99Guided questions and tailored clauses for agreements that need specific protections.
When to use this document
- Replacing the executor or another nominee named in your Will
- Correcting a gift, a share, or a misdescribed beneficiary
- Adding a single specific gift without disturbing the rest of the plan
- Revoking one provision and stating what replaces it
Information you will need
- Your legal name as it appears on the original Will, and where you live
- The date of the original Will and where the signed original is kept
- Execution details that distinguish the signed original from drafts and copies
- The number and dates of any earlier codicils
- The exact change, naming the article, gift, or nominee and the complete replacement wording
- Any provision you are revoking separately
- The state whose law governs
What you receive
- A completed seven-article Codicil
- Testator attestation and two witness signature blocks
- A separate self-proving affidavit
- Completion, signing, and storage instructions
- PDF and editable DOCX export
Special situations
- A new Will is usually cleaner than a second or third codicil, and cleaner than any codicil after a marriage, divorce, birth, death, or a substantial change in what you own.
- If the signed original cannot be located, a codicil has nothing to attach to. Replace the Will instead.
- Witnesses who inherit under the Will or the Codicil may lose that gift and invite scrutiny of the whole instrument. Use disinterested adults.
- This product does not recreate, validate, or retrieve an original Will, and produces nothing for filing with a court or public office.
- Get advice for conflicting provisions, a changed spouse or descendant plan, beneficiary disability, business or trust interests, property in several states, questions about capacity or pressure, or where a challenge seems likely.
Jurisdiction
A Codicil must be executed with the same formalities as a Will. Witness number, eligibility, presence, and sequence vary by state, so this form states no universal witness count and asks you to confirm the requirements that apply where you sign. Republication, revocation, and spousal rights also vary.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use a codicil or write a new Will?
A codicil suits one small, precise change. Beyond one or two changes — or after a marriage, divorce, birth, death, or a significant change in your property — a new Will is normally cleaner. The test is practical: if someone reading your Will and every codicil together cannot follow the plan in one pass, replace the Will.
Does a codicil have to be signed and witnessed like a Will?
Yes. A codicil is executed with the same formalities as a Will. The required number of witnesses, whether they must watch you sign, and the order of signing vary by state, which is why this form states no universal witness count and directs you to confirm the rules that apply where you sign.
Can someone who inherits from me be a witness?
It is a bad idea. In many states a witness who receives a gift under the Will or the Codicil can lose that gift, and their involvement invites scrutiny of the entire document. Use competent adults who take nothing under either instrument.
What happens to my earlier codicils?
Earlier codicils stay in force unless you revoke them. That is why this form asks you to list them, and why it republishes and confirms the original Will together with every effective prior codicil. If they conflict with each other, replace the Will rather than adding another layer.
What is a self-proving affidavit?
A sworn statement signed by you and your witnesses before a notarial officer. Where it is recognised, it can spare your executor from having to locate witnesses years later. It does not repair a codicil that was executed incorrectly.
Can I just cross out a line on my Will instead?
No. Handwritten marks on a signed Will can raise questions about who made them and when, and in some states can affect provisions you never meant to change. Make changes only through a properly executed instrument.
Related documents and guides
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Last reviewed July 29, 2026.