Already have a will and just need to change one thing? Don’t rewrite the whole thing — add a codicil. A codicil is a short, legal add-on that amends your existing last will and testament: it keeps everything you already decided and changes only what you tell it to. You (the same testator who made the will) pick the change and PaperKit builds the right instrument: ADD OR CHANGE A GIFT (leave a new bequest, or update who gets what); CHANGE YOUR EXECUTOR OR GUARDIAN (swap in a new personal representative or a new guardian for your kids); REVOKE A PROVISION (strike a clause you no longer want); or a GENERAL AMENDMENT (any free-form change). Then decide whether to expressly REPUBLISH your will — re-declaring and re-dating it as amended, so the whole plan reads as one current document — or amend only. PaperKit references your original will by date, reaffirms every unchanged provision so nothing else is disturbed, and lays out the execution page exactly like a will: a codicil must be signed and WITNESSED with the same formalities as the will it amends, so you get two witness lines and an optional self-proving affidavit placeholder. It’s self-drafted: you review and e-sign online, print the clean PDF, and keep it WITH your will. (Where the changes are big, a new will is often better than a codicil. Signing and witnessing rules vary by state — complete them on execution; consider an attorney.)
The big lever — a codicil amends one part of your existing will and leaves the rest alone.
Leave a new bequest, or change who gets a specific gift — without touching the rest of your will.
Whether to expressly re-declare your will, as amended, as of the codicil's date.
Expressly re-declare and re-date your will, as amended by this codicil, as of today — so the whole plan reads as one current, integrated document. (Republishing can also revive or validate an earlier will, which has consequences worth confirming.)
Identify your existing last will so the codicil references it correctly. Keep this codicil WITH that will.
The operative change this codicil makes to your will.
The same person who made the will. You draft and e-sign this codicil; it must be witnessed with the same formalities as your will on execution.
The clauses that make a codicil work. Uncheck anything you'd rather leave out.
A real, section-by-section codicil. The purpose choice drives the amendment; republish decides whether the will is re-declared. Publish to get a hosted link you can e-execute online.
$9/mo — remove the DRAFT watermark + “Made with PaperKit” badge, unlimited clean-PDF codicils, and Pro across every tool.
A codicil is a template for convenience, not legal advice. It amends an existing last will and testament and must generally be executed with the SAME formalities as a will — your signature plus, in most states, two competent witnesses (and sometimes a notarized self-proving affidavit). A codicil that is not signed and witnessed correctly can be invalid and can complicate the underlying will; where changes are extensive, a new will is often preferable. Republishing a will by codicil re-dates it and can revive or validate an earlier will. Keep your codicil with your will. PaperKit is not a law firm — consult a qualified attorney.