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Under WA state law what is the process for making changes to a Will do i need to hire a lawyerI already have a will made, but now would like to make a change of the the beneficiaries. Can this be done by just writting out what is desired, and having it notarized with my signature. I have no money to do this with a lawyer. Thanks Attorney answers (3)
Reputation Level 8
Answered over 3 years ago.
Estate Planning Attorney in Lynnwood, WA.
A change to a Will is known as a Codicil and it must meet the same requirements as the original Will in terms of being signed by you in front of two witnesss who also sign the document, preferably in front of a notary. The witnesses must not be beneficiaries under the Will or Codicil. In the Codicil you myst specifically reference the paragraph you plan to change and then write out the amendment.
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Reputation Level 8
Answered over 3 years ago.
Wills and Living Wills Lawyer in Olympia, WA.
To help clarify the previous answer, at a minimum a modification to a will must be witnessed by two qualified individuals -- similar to how the will was executed -- and preferable the modification (or codicil) should be "self-proving" in nature, meaning a notary public notarizing the signatures of the witnesses. When changing such an important provision as beneficiaries, I would STRONGLY suggest you execute a new will. You can either draft yourself or obtain the assistance of an attorney, but if you opt for the former, I suggest you have an attorney review the finised work.
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A WA will to be accepted by the court has to comply with the requirements specified by Chapter 11.12 RCW (Wills). The statutes can be accessed here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.12 .
Depending on what you need done, attorney's fees may be a few hundred dollars. Your beneficiaries fighting over your intent may incur much more legal expenses. If you still want self-help, look over the information provided through WA LawHelp to see what you should do. Its site: http://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/WA/index.cfm . Related Questions2 Attorney answers:
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