Having a will is an incredibly important part of protecting your estate. As we saw with the Prince estate saga, not having one can create a series of major complications. Additionally, you have to be ready and willing to change your will when the situation calls for it. Getting married, a death in the family, a newborn child — these are just a few examples of life events that necessitate a change in your will.
But what exactly does it take to change your will? What is the process? It may seem like a complicated legal step that you have to take, but in reality it is actually a fairly simple procedure.
There are three simple steps to take if you want to revoke or change your will. The first is to destroy the original will. Burn it, put it through a paper shredder, or tear it to pieces — whatever your choice, just make sure it is destroyed.
The next option is creating a new will that has the changes to provisions that you wanted to make. Just make sure you do this properly and that it is compliant with the law.
Last but not least, you can keep your current will but make amendments to it. The newly-amended will is called a “codicil.”
Changing a will or revoking one can seem like a challenge, but it really isn’t that difficult. If you have questions about your estate or will, consult with an attorney.
Source: FindLaw, “How to Revoke a Will,” Accessed June 8, 2017