What is a Codicil – and should you have one?

I recently asked two friends to act as witnesses to the signing of a codicil. At first, neither was entirely sure of what they were going to witness. A codicil, I explained, is simply a document that makes changes to a will. In order to be effective, it must be executed in the same manner as the will: signed by the testator and two non-beneficiary witnesses. Once executed a codicil is typically attached to the will. There can be more than one codicil, but if the testator (the author of the will) wants to make significant changes, it may be easier just to revoke the original will and make a new one.

You should consider making changes to your will whenever your life circumstances change. If you buy or sell property, give away a significant item, enter into a new family arrangement, or change your mind about a beneficiary, make sure your will is updated accordingly.

If you have a will and would like to make changes, we would be happy to talk with you about which option is best for you. We can help you make a codicil or revoke and replace your original will. Don’t have a will in the first place? We can help with that too.

Contact Sarah Shiels at 902-209-6537, or by e-mail at sarah@cslegal.ca.