Attorney Thomas B. Burton answers a reader question about how many witnesses are required to witness you sign a Codicil to your Will, in order to make a change to your Will after the original Will has been executed in the state of Wisconsin.
Transcript of Video: How Many Witnesses Are Required to Enact a Codicil to a Will in Wisconsin?
Today's question is from New Berlin
Wisconsin and the writer asks the
following how many witnesses are
required to enact a codicil in Wisconsin
my mother would like to change the
executor of her will and add a few items
to it I understand the codicil is used
for this purpose but I am unclear as to
how many witnesses are needed to enact a
codicil in Wisconsin so the short answer
is you need two witnesses to a will or a
codicil in the state of Wisconsin a
codicil is just a document that makes a
change to an existing will and these
witnesses need to be over the age of 18
competent not related by blood or
marriage to the person making the will
or adoption blood marriage or adoption
and not interested in the testator's
estate the testator is the person making
the will so in this case it would be
your mother if you want to go to
Wisconsin statute 853.07 and you could
Google that Wisconsin statute 853.07
it lists the witness requirements for a
will and in a longer form of goes
through what I just discussed that the
witnesses need to be competent over age
18 not related by blood marriage or
adoption and not interested meaning not
receiving a part of the estate for the
will they are witnessing so take a look
at Wisconsin statute 853.07 and if
your mother wants to make these updates
I suggest she work with a qualified
estate planning attorney who can draft the
codicil to meet her wishes and likely also
can help her make sure the codicil is
validly witnessed so it meets all the
legal requirements in Wisconsin great
question and thank you for asking!
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Transcript and captions provided for ease of access for the hearing impaired.
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