California Last Will and Testament Form | PDF | Text | Word

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A California last will and testament is a legal tool that lets you protect your property after death by letting you specify who will get to own that property.

Laws

California law (6110-6113)  requires:

• wills to be in writing
• the testator (person who creates the will) must be 18-years-old
• two witnesses must be present when the testator signs the will, and
• the witnesses must also sign the will

Wills in California may also be handwritten as long as the signature and important provisions of the will are in the testator’s handwriting. You may also use generic “fill-in-the-blanks” wills in California, but getting an attorney’s advice can help you decide the best ways to distribute your property.

Creating a will is an important aspect of managing your assets. A will lets you distribute all of your property, rather than letting a probate court distribute it according to succession laws, which would distribute your property to your children and spouse, and if you have none, to other close relatives. Wills also let you appoint guardians to children and provide allowances for anyone you want.

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