What is the difference between a will and a codicil?

A will and a codicil are both legal documents used in estate planning in Georgia, and while they are used for similar purposes, they are two distinct documents. A will is a legal document that individuals create to specify how they want their estate to be handled upon their death. It outlines who will receive the assets, property, and items the individual owned, and how much of that each person will receive. Additionally, a will can name an executor, who is the person responsible for distributing the estate following the individual’s death. A codicil is an amendment to a will. It is used to make changes to an existing will without having to create an entirely new will. It may be used to revoke a specific part of the existing will, or add new provisions to the will, such as adding beneficiaries or changing how much of the estate should go to each beneficiary. A codicil should be signed in the same way as a will in order to be legally valid. It is important to confirm that all of the changes outlined in a codicil are legal and do not violate any provisions of the existing will. As long as all of the requirements are met, a codicil can be a much simpler way to make changes to a will than having to start from scratch.

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What is the difference between a will and a codicil?

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