Life Changes and Your Existing Will
This is a short statute, but it carries significant weight. Many people assume that major life events, like a divorce, a new marriage, or the birth of a child, automatically cancel or change their will. In Arizona, that is not how it works.
Except as provided in sections 14-2803 and 14-2804, a change of circumstances does not revoke a will or any part of it.
A.R.S. § 14-2508Your will remains in effect as written until you take deliberate steps to change it. No life event, on its own, undoes the document. If you signed a will leaving everything to your spouse and then get divorced, the will itself is not revoked.
Where Other Statutes Step In
The statute references two important exceptions. A.R.S. 14-2803 addresses what happens when a beneficiary feloniously and intentionally kills the person who made the will. That person forfeits all benefits under the will, and the estate is distributed as if the killer had predeceased the testator. A.R.S. 14-2804 deals with the effect of divorce or annulment, revoking provisions that benefit a former spouse and their relatives.
These companion statutes do not revoke the will itself. Instead, they adjust how certain provisions are applied after the triggering event. The distinction matters. Your will is still a valid, operative document. The court simply reads certain provisions differently based on the changed circumstances.
The practical takeaway is clear: do not rely on life events to update your estate plan. Divorce, remarriage, new children, the death of a named beneficiary, or a significant change in assets are all reasons to sit down and review your will. A proactive update with experienced estate planning counsel ensures your plan reflects your current wishes, rather than leaving the outcome to statutory default rules.
