Codicil
Updated June 7, 2026
When a codicil is used
People once used codicils frequently — to update a guardian designation, add a bequest, or correct a name — when retyping an entire will was burdensome. Today, because wills are easy to revise digitally, many estate planning attorneys recommend simply drafting a new will rather than adding a codicil, to avoid any ambiguity between the original and the amendment.
Keeping track of changes
Whether you update your will with a codicil or replace it entirely, keep the original will and every codicil together in one place — and let your executor know where that place is. A codicil found without the will it amends, or a will found without a codicil, can create uncertainty at the worst possible moment.
Related terms
- Executor — An executor is the person named in a will to carry out its instructions — gathering the deceased's assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing what remains to the beneficiaries. The executor is accountable to the probate court and must act in the interest of the estate, not their own.
- Holographic Will — A holographic will is a will written entirely in the testator's own handwriting and signed by them, with no witnesses required. Holographic wills are recognized as valid in roughly half of U.S. states; in states that do not recognize them, such a document may have no legal effect.
- Self-Proving Affidavit — A self-proving affidavit is a sworn statement, signed by the testator and witnesses before a notary, that is attached to a will to certify that it was properly executed. When a will has a valid self-proving affidavit, the probate court can accept it without needing to track down and question the witnesses — which can be particularly important if years have passed since signing.
- Letter of Instruction — A letter of instruction is an informal, non-binding document that supplements a will or trust by providing practical guidance the legal documents do not cover — funeral wishes, a list of accounts and passwords, the location of important documents, explanations for unusual bequests, and personal messages to loved ones. Because it is not a legal document, it is flexible and easy to update.
Legatus Vault keeps your wills, trusts, and estate documents in one secure place and releases them — only when the time comes, and only after careful verification — to the people you choose.