Changing a Will
New Jersey Statute 3B:3-16 (Methods of altering will)
- A will can be added to or changed at any time without making a whole new will by adding to the existing will. This document is called a codicil.
In New Jersey, a person can change his or her will if the changes meet all of the requirements for either a formal will or a holographic (handwritten) will.
The changes for a formal will must be:
- Written;
- Signed either by the testator, or by someone else who signs for the testator in his or her presence because the testator is unable to sign it; and
- Signed in the presence of 2 people over the age of 18 who witness the signing of the will.
Holographic Will Requirements
Changes to a will may still be legal if they meet the requirements for changing a holographic will, which means that the changes must be:
- In the testator’s own handwriting and
- Signed by the testator.
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