Adding A Codicil To An Existing Will: Fill & Download for Free

The Codicil to a Will is a document that’s added to an existing, signed will, to change it or add new provisions to it. The word codicil has been around since the 1400s, but now that most wills are created electronically, it's often easier -- and clearer -- just to make a new will.Both Wills and Codicils Require the Signatures of WitnessesWills, unlike most other legal documents, aren’t valid unless they are signed in front of two adult witnesses. The witnesses aren’t there just to make sure you’re who you say you are. They sign their own statement at the end of your will, declaring that you seemed of sound mind and not under undue influence—in other words, that it looked to them like you understood what you were signing and were acting of your own free will.This witness requirement for wills isn’t likely to go away anytime soon. Wills are simply different from other documents because if there’s a dispute over one, the key person—the one who signed it—won’t be around to explain what he or she meant. By contrast, if people are arguing about, say, a contract, both of them can go into court and do their best to convince a judge or jury of their point of view.A few states are chipping away at the witness requirement, by allowing people to sign in front of a notary public instead of witnesses, but it’s definitely the exception to the rule. After all, a notary public checks your driver’s license and verifies your identity, but isn’t asked to form any opinion about your mental state.How does this affect codicils? Because they are just like wills, witnesses are required for them, too. So if, after you make and sign your will, you want to add a new paragraph with a codicil, you’ll have to sign the codicil in front of two witnesses, just like the original will.Making a New Will Is Often as Easy as Making a CodicilMost of us will eventually want to change the first will we make. After all, circumstances change: we marry, divorce, have children, have spats with our relatives, take up and abandon charitable causes. One “last will” isn’t likely to carry us through to the end.The witness requirement, plus the ease of using computers to prepare, modify, and print documents, erase any reason to make a codicil. When legal documents were painstakingly written out with quill pens, it made sense not to rewrite a whole will if you could just tack on a brief codicil. But these days, there’s no advantage to a codicil.There is, however, a drawback: A codicil is unlikely to seamlessly fit with the original will. Is it a pure addition, or does it negate something in the original document? If it’s supposed to replace part of the first will, which part?The solution is simple: just make another will. These days, it's easy to start from scratch, using software or an online service. Or start with your original will, which is surely on a computer somewhere—in your home or office, if you prepared it yourself, in an online service’s files, or in your lawyer’s office if you hired someone to prepare it. (Lawyers don’t use quills anymore, either.) If you can’t get your hands on the file, just retype it—carefully. And then get those two witnesses to watch you sign.

A Will or a Testament means a document made by a person whereby he disposes of his property but such disposal comes into effect only after the death of the testator.CodicilThe Indian Succession Act 1925 defines Codicil as an instrument made in relation to a Will, explaining, altering, or adding to its dispositions and is deemed to be a part of the Will. A codicil is similar to a will and is governed by the same rules.Put simply, it is a document signed by the testator (the person writing his Will) and the witnesses to make changes in an existing Will. However, a Codicil is not a standalone document. It is a part of the last Will of the testator.I tried to make the answer short and simple for you to understand. I don't know if I'm right.

A will sets out the intentions of the deceased to distribute his/ her estate.The beneficiaries are identified. Their entitlement to the estate is specified and assuming there are sufficient funds in the estate they get what is specified.The deceased can add a codicil to his/ her will at a later date but before death (!) and while still having mental capacity.The codicil is a further intention of the person which is specified in a witnessed and dated document after the Will has been drawn up.This may overrule the existing will and change the beneficiaries or their entitlement.The beneficiaries may also vary the terms of the will if they all agree, after the person dies.For example: the beneficiaries may be ‘all the grandchildren’ and at the time the will is drawn up there are ten named live grandchildren. A person is not allowed to control his estate from beyond the grave.To include two grandchildren who are born later, either a new will can be prepared or a codicil added specifying the two new grandchildren. But children born after the person’s death are not included.