I have a Will in place that is 30 years old, is it still OK or do I need to update it?
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I have a Will in place that is 30 years old, is it still OK or do I need to update it?
If I need to make some changes to my Will, does that void it?
Asked on July 5, 2012 under Estate Planning, North Carolina
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
Since your Will is thirty years old, it would be advisable to have a new Will which clearly states that it revokes your previous Will dated __________. Since thirty years have elapsed, there have probably been significant changes in your estate and you would not want there to be any conflict between the provisions of your old Will and a new Will which is why you want to state that your new Will revokes the previous Will.
Generally, if there are only minor changes in a Will, the Will can be amended. The amendment is called a codocil. Since your Will is thirty years old, there have probably been significant changes which might be easier to address by a new Will instead of just a codocil.
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