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Codicil

Estate Documents

A short legal document that amends a will without replacing it, executed with the same formalities as the original will.

A codicil is a written amendment to a will. It can change a beneficiary, update a personal representative, add a new gift, or revoke a specific provision. The rest of the original will stays in force.

Arizona Execution Rules

A codicil must be executed with the same formalities as the will it amends. That generally means the testator's signature plus two witnesses under A.R.S. 14-2502, or a fully handwritten and signed codicil under the holographic will rules.

Why Restatements Are Often Better

Multiple codicils stacked over the years can contradict each other and trigger probate disputes. For more than a small change, attorneys typically recommend a fully restated will. The new will revokes all prior wills and codicils and provides a single, clean document for the personal representative to follow.

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