Changing or Cancelling a Will - Interactive
You can change or cancel your will at any time. Learn what's involved in changing or cancelling a will.
Changing or Cancelling a Will - Understand your legal rights
You can change your will after you've made it
You can make a new will at any time. Or you can change the will you’ve made by signing a separate document, called a codicil.
To be legal, the codicil has to meet the same requirements as a will. For example, it must be in writing, and be signed by you and two witnesses. You don’t have to use the same two witnesses you used for your will. The codicil must refer to the will it is amending.
You can cancel your will
You can cancel your will by:
- destroying the original will (you must destroy it with the intention of revoking it), or
- making a written declaration revoking your will, signed in the same way as a will (for example, signed by you and two witnesses).
A new will normally cancels any previous will. Even so, it is common practice to clearly provide for this by including a revocation clause at the beginning of a will:
“I hereby revoke all my prior wills and codicils.”
Changing or Cancelling a Will - Common questions
If I get divorced, does that cancel my will?
No. Neither marriage nor divorce of the will-maker cancels a will. The exception is if you married before March 31, 2014, and made a will prior to your marriage. Your will would have been automatically cancelled on your marriage, unless the will said that it was made in contemplation of your marriage.
Changing or Cancelling a Will - Get help
Some of the options for free or low-cost legal help may be helpful if you are changing or cancelling a will. For example, a notary public can help with making a will.
