الكوديسيل هو عبارة عن وثيقة قانونية تُضاف إلى وصية أو مستند قانوني آخر، بهدف توضيح أو تعديل بعض الأحكام الموجودة في الوثيقة الأصلية. يُستخدم الكوديسيل لإضافة معلومات جديدة أو تغيير بعض الشروط دون الحاجة إلى كتابة وصية جديدة بالكامل. يمكن أن يتضمن الكوديسيل تفاصيل مثل توزيع الممتلكات، أو تغيير الوصي، أو إضافة مستفيدين جدد. يجب أن يتبع الكوديسيل نفس المتطلبات الشكلية التي تتطلبها القوانين المحلية بالنسبة للوصايا، مثل توقيعه من قبل المُوصي وشهود، إذا كان ذلك مطلوبًا.

The codicil is a legal document used to amend specific provisions of a will while leaving the remaining provisions intact. You can modify, update, or revoke your last will at any time as long as you are mentally competent.

Definition and Examples of Codicil

A codicil is a legal document used to make specific changes to a will without needing to rewrite the entire will. You can use the codicil to make any necessary modifications, as long as they are straightforward. In other cases, when larger changes are made, it may be better to draft a new will.

The general idea is that a codicil suffices if you want to make minor changes. Examples of minor changes might include:

• Adding or removing a specific bequest
• Changing who will be your personal representative
• Updating the name of a beneficiary or your personal representative due to their marriage or divorce

How Does a Codicil Work?

The codicil is almost like a “note” at the end of your will. If you decide to add a codicil to make an amendment, you will need to sign it and have it signed by two witnesses as well. Then, keep it with the original will.

Make sure to write it in an easy-to-understand manner. If you have made a series of codicils over the years, you may want to consider consolidating all changes into a new will. This will be beneficial for your personal representative, who will be able to follow one document instead of gathering terms from four or five separate documents.

It can also help ensure that the court recognizes your will as valid; a new will clearly depicts your final wishes instead of a collection of terms that may make your intentions unclear.

How Do You Ensure That Your Codicil Is Legal?

It is very important not to simply amend your will by hand and place it in a drawer if you wish to make changes even if they are minor. Doing so could invalidate your entire will. Or, depending on the applicable state law, handwritten changes may be disregarded.

Therefore, the codicil should be prepared according to specific legal guidelines and signed with all the same formalities as your original will.

If you are going to go to all this effort, you might want to consider taking the safer approach and drafting a new will instead. Otherwise, you can ask an estate planning attorney to prepare the codicil on your behalf to ensure it will be legally valid and binding.

It’s also important to know that using a codicil can result in it being separated from your will.

When Is It Appropriate to Draft a New Will?

You should consider drafting a new will if the changes you wish to make are significant, such as adding your new spouse as a beneficiary after marriage. It is also a good idea if you are deleting a beneficiary, going through a divorce, adding a child, or changing distributions from family members to charities or vice versa.

Make sure to clearly indicate that your original will has been revoked. You can either destroy it along with any copies that may exist or write “Revoked” on every page while initialing or signing it.

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Sources:

• Nolo. “What Is the Best Way to Update My Will?” Accessed Aug. 1, 2021.
• American Bar Association. “Do It Yourself Estate Planning.” Accessed Aug. 1, 2021.
• FindLaw. “Changing a Will.” Accessed Aug. 1, 2021.

Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/what-is-a-codicil-3505182