Iowa Last Will and Testament

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If you decide to create a will, you must understand how to make sure you follow the guidelines for an Iowa last will and testament.

Contents hide
1 Iowa Last Will and Testament Template
2 Guidelines for an Iowa Last Will and Testament
3 Iowa Last Will and Testament FAQs

This is a legal document, so you must adhere to the law when creating it, or a judge could declare it invalid after your death.

Avoid this issue by reviewing the requirements for an Iowa last will and testament found in Probate Code 633.279.

Iowa Last Will and Testament Template

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Guidelines for an Iowa Last Will and Testament

The Probate Code outlines that for a document to be a last will and testament, you must sign it yourself or direct someone else to sign your name under your supervision. Your will must be in writing, and you must have at least two people to witness it.

The witnesses must watch you sign the document, and they must watch each other sign the document. Note that the witnesses must be at least 16 years old.

You and the witnesses must be of sound mind. This means you understand what the document is and its impact. You must be clear on every detail in the will.

Do note there is no last will and testament form in Iowa. You simply need to ensure you understand the contents and declare it as your will. You can change it as many times as you desire throughout your life.

Iowa Last Will and Testament FAQs

Because a will is a legal document, it is important to make sure you understand completely how to create one. To help, here is a look at some questions people often have about the process.

Beyond ensuring you include the right signatures, the Iowa State Bar Association explains you need to be at least 18 years old to create one. If you are underage, it makes the document unbinding. The court can declare it invalid.

You also need to ensure the will is in writing because the state does not accept oral wills. This includes a video or audio recording of you stating your intentions.

Remember, you do not have to use a last will and testament template in Iowa for the document to work as a will. All you need are the essential elements stated in the Probate Code.

You do not have to pay anything to create a will. A free last will and testament in Iowa is easy if you create it yourself. The only time you would need to pay is if you hire an attorney, but you can use a will template made for Iowa that guides you through everything you need to ensure it is valid.

In general, you do not have to notarize your will. However, you do have the option to self-prove the document. Self-proving means you verify the signatures so that the probate court does not have to do it.

Self-proved will move through probate quicker, and they have fewer hassles because you already verified them. To verify, you have your signature and the witness signatures notarized.

There is no law that prohibits writing your own will. Of course, if you have a complex estate or situation, it is to your advantage to use an attorney. You do not want to make mistakes with this document because there is little chance you will be able to fix them. Most errors do not come to light until after your death when the will is in probate.

A handwritten or holographic will is valid in Iowa as long as it follows all the requirements for a legal will.