Codicil to Last Will & Testament
CODICIL TO LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
of
[TESTATOR FULL LEGAL NAME]
1. IDENTIFICATION
1.1 Testator. I, [TESTATOR FULL LEGAL NAME], domiciled in [CITY/TOWN], Massachusetts, of lawful age (18 or older) and sound mind, declare this to be the [ORDINAL — e.g., First / Second / Third] Codicil (this "Codicil") to my Last Will and Testament.
1.2 Will Being Amended. This Codicil amends my Last Will and Testament dated [__/__/____] (the "Will").
1.3 Prior Codicils.
☐ I have made no prior codicil to the Will.
☐ I have previously executed the following codicil(s), each of which remains in effect except as modified herein: [LIST PRIOR CODICILS BY DATE].
1.4 Voluntary Act. I execute this Codicil voluntarily and free of undue influence, duress, or fraud.
2. DECLARATION — WILL REMAINS IN FULL FORCE
I confirm, ratify, and republish my Will in all respects and direct that it shall continue in full force and effect, except as specifically revoked, supplemented, amended, or replaced by this Codicil. This Codicil does not revoke my Will under M.G.L. c. 190B, § 2-507.
3. AMENDING PROVISIONS
3.1 Revocation of a Specific Section or Bequest
I hereby REVOKE the following provision(s) of my Will:
☐ Section [____] of the Will, captioned [SECTION TITLE], is revoked in its entirety and shall be of no further force or effect.
☐ The specific bequest of [DESCRIBE GIFT — e.g., "$[AMOUNT]" / "the property at [ADDRESS]"] to [BENEFICIARY NAME] set forth in Section [____] is revoked. The subject property shall pass under the Residuary Estate of my Will unless otherwise provided in this Codicil.
3.2 Addition of a New Bequest
I hereby ADD the following bequest:
☐ I give [DESCRIBE GIFT — e.g., "$[AMOUNT]" / "[DESCRIPTION OF ITEM OR REAL PROPERTY]"] to [BENEFICIARY FULL NAME & ADDRESS].
- If this Beneficiary predeceases me, this gift shall ☐ pass into the Residuary Estate ☐ pass to [ALTERNATE BENEFICIARY] ☐ pass per stirpes to the Beneficiary's descendants.
3.3 Amendment or Replacement of a Section
I hereby AMEND AND REPLACE the following provision(s) of my Will; the replacement language supersedes the corresponding provision:
☐ New Personal Representative. Section [____] of the Will is amended so that I appoint [NEW PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE NAME & ADDRESS] as Personal Representative, in place of [FORMER PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE NAME], with [SUCCESSOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE NAME] as successor. The Personal Representative shall ☐ serve with ☐ serve without surety on any required bond and shall have all powers under M.G.L. c. 190B, §§ 3-715 and 3-703.
☐ New Guardian / Conservator. Section [____] of the Will is amended so that I nominate [NEW GUARDIAN NAME & ADDRESS] as guardian of the person and conservator of the property of my minor child(ren), in place of [FORMER GUARDIAN NAME], with [SUCCESSOR GUARDIAN NAME] as successor.
☐ New Trustee / Beneficiary. Section [____] of the Will is amended so that:
- The Trustee of the [NAME OF TESTAMENTARY TRUST] shall be [NEW TRUSTEE NAME], in place of [FORMER TRUSTEE NAME]; and/or
- The beneficiary designated in that Section shall be [NEW BENEFICIARY NAME], in place of [FORMER BENEFICIARY NAME].
☐ New / Restated Residuary Distribution. Section [____] of the Will is amended so that my Residuary Estate shall pass as follows: [NEW RESIDUARY DISTRIBUTION — beneficiaries and shares].
☐ Other Amendment. Section [____] of the Will is amended to read as follows: [INSERT REPLACEMENT TEXT].
4. REPUBLICATION
By executing this Codicil with the formalities required for a will under M.G.L. c. 190B, § 2-502, I republish, ratify, and reaffirm my Will, as modified by this Codicil and by any prior codicil that remains in effect, as of the date of this Codicil. The Will shall be read and construed as if executed on the date of this Codicil, except as expressly changed herein.
5. EXECUTION BLOCK
5.1 Testator Signature
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, [TESTATOR FULL LEGAL NAME], sign, publish, and declare this instrument to be a Codicil to my Last Will and Testament on this [____] day of [MONTH], [YEAR], at [CITY/TOWN], Massachusetts.
_____________________________
[TESTATOR FULL LEGAL NAME], Testator
5.2 Attestation Clause
We, the undersigned, declare that on the date set forth above [TESTATOR FULL LEGAL NAME], the Testator, signed and executed this instrument as a Codicil to the Testator's Last Will and Testament in our presence, and that we, in the Testator's presence and in the presence of each other, have subscribed our names as witnesses, believing the Testator to be of sound mind and under no improper influence.
| Witness Name & Address | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1. ____________________ ____________________ |
____________________ | __________ |
| 2. ____________________ ____________________ |
____________________ | __________ |
6. SELF-PROVING AFFIDAVIT
(Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 190B, § 2-504)
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of [____]
We, [TESTATOR NAME], [WITNESS #1 NAME], and [WITNESS #2 NAME], the Testator and the witnesses, respectively, whose names are signed to the attached or foregoing instrument, being first duly sworn, do hereby declare to the undersigned authority that the Testator signed and executed the instrument as a Codicil to the Testator's Last Will and Testament; that the Testator signed it willingly (or willingly directed another to sign for the Testator); that each of the witnesses, in the presence and hearing of the Testator and of each other, signed the Codicil as a witness; and that to the best knowledge of each witness the Testator was at the time eighteen (18) years of age or older, of sound mind, and under no constraint or undue influence.
______________________________________
[TESTATOR NAME], Testator
______________________________________
[WITNESS #1 NAME], Witness
______________________________________
[WITNESS #2 NAME], Witness
Subscribed, sworn to, and acknowledged before me by [TESTATOR NAME], the Testator, and subscribed and sworn to before me by [WITNESS #1 NAME] and [WITNESS #2 NAME], witnesses, this [____] day of [MONTH], [YEAR].
______________________________________
Notary Public
My Commission Expires: __________
Sources and References
About This Template
Estate planning documents decide what happens to your property, your children, and your medical care when you cannot make those decisions yourself. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives each serve different purposes and each have to meet state law requirements for signing, witnessing, and notarization. A document that looks fine on the page but was not executed correctly can be rejected in probate, which is exactly when it is too late to fix.
Important Notice
This template is provided for informational purposes. It is not legal advice. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Last updated: June 2026
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