Technically you can have more than one codicil, but it’s not wise if you believe your estate might be contested by one of the beneficiaries. Each and every codicil adds more leeway for misinterpretation of your actual intentions. If you execute two codicils that both change the beneficiaries of your estate, chances are at least one beneficiary is going to contest the first codicil, the second one, or both. When in doubt, it’s best to create a new will. In it you should reference the original will and state that it is now null and void.

In most states, a codicil does not have to be notarized. Most states allow that the codicil can be witnessed by two persons not named as beneficiaries in the will. The exception is the state of Louisiana, where the codicil must be notarized.

To write a codicil to a will, you first must be the person who signed the original will. You cannot write a codicil to someone’s else will, not even your spouse’s. The codicil must reference the original will including the date on which it was signed. You should also indicate whether this is the first codicil to the will or if you’ve already executed other codicils.

Yes, a codicil is legally binding as long as it is correctly prepared. It must be witnessed by two persons not related to the signer or named as a beneficiary in the will. In the state of Louisiana the codicil must also be notarized.

A codicil is a legal document executed to make modifications to an existing will, most often referred to as a Last Will and Testament. To define codicil, we don’t need to look in law books. It is a universally-accepted legal document that can be used to amend any legally-executed will.

A will is a legally binding document that specifies how you would like your estate distributed after your death. A codicil is used to make changes to the original will. You cannot sign a codicil unless you first executed a will.