A Texas last will is a document containing the last wishes of its owner and determining precisely how and by whom their assets will be used in case of death.
Even when you haven’t got too many assets, a last will and testament will help your family situation and end up being critical to all your family members upon your passing.
In case you’re seeking a printable and fillable Texas last will and testament form, you can find one on this page, in addition to the tips on last will preparation and solutions to frequently asked questions.
Build Your Document
Answer a few simple questions to make your document in minutes
Save and Print
Save progress and finish on any device, download and print anytime
Sign and Use
Your valid, lawyer-approved document is ready
| Requirements | State laws | |
| Statutes | Estates Code, Chapter 251 – Fundamental Requirements and Provisions Relating to Wills | |
| Definitions | Chapter 22. Definitions | |
| Signing requirement | Two witnesses | Sec. 251.051 Written, Signed, and Attested |
| Age of testator | 18 or older or a minor in some cases | Sec. 251.001 Who May Execute Will |
| Age of witnesses | 14 or older | Sec. 251.051 Written, Signed, and Attested |
| Self-proving wills | Allowed | Sec. 251.101 Self-proved Will |
| Handwritten wills | Recognized if meeting certain conditions | Sec. 251.051 Written, Signed, and Attested |
| Oral wills | Not recognized | Sec. 251.051 Written, Signed, and Attested |
| Holographic wills | Recognized if meeting certain conditions | Sec. 251.052 Exception for Holographic Wills |
| Depositing a will | Possible with a Texas county probate court A fee is $5 | Sec. 252.001 Will Deposit; Certificate Sec. 118.052. FEE SCHEDULE |
1. Think about your options. Decide whether you prefer to seek the services of attorneys or make your last will yourself (either by handwriting it or using a free last will and testament form).
2. Specify your information. Step one is establishing the testator by entering their full name, followed by the residential info (city, county, and state). Check the information you wrote as well as the remainder of the section, which includes “Expenses and Taxes.”
3. Specify the executor (or executrix). Select the executor of your property and fill out their specifics: full name and place of residence, which will normally be within the same state the testator lives for the reason that nearly all states enforce special rules on out-of-state executors. As a safeguard, you can choose an alternative executor of your last will. By doing this, you’ll be able to be certain that, even if the initially appointed executor is unable to perform their duties, there is a second trusted person you can count on.
4. Choose the guardian (optional). It’s possible to choose a trusted person as a guardian in the event that you have minor or dependent children that must be looked after. In case there are no directions regarding who should take care of your kids, the guardian will be selected by the court.
5. Establish your beneficiaries. At this stage, you establish people who will inherit your assets. For every named beneficiary, fill out these details: full legal name, address, and how they are related to you.
6. Assign assets. List your assets and describe the way in which you would like to distribute them amongst your inheritors if you have something under consideration other than splitting the assets commensurately. Assets can include cash, shares, realty, business ownership, money for arrearage, as well as any tangible items of monetary worth in your possession. Please notice that there are things that cannot be distributed in your last will, for instance, life insurance and joint and living will assets.
7. Proceed with the witnesses putting the signatures on the document. As per Texas Statutes, for any last will and testament to be legitimate, it must be signed by two witnesses. They must be over 14 years of age and have absolutely no interest in your property, which means that they can’t be beneficiaries. Think about picking witnesses who are younger than you to ensure that they will be around in the event the will is contested in court or if any other issue takes place. After a careful revision of every passage in your last will and testament, all signatories (you and the two witnesses) must fill out their names and full addresses and sign the document.
Texas statute says that a will can be valid without getting a notary public to authorize it. Even so, you can make your last will self-proving by adding an affidavit to it, and you’ll have to hire a notary if you want to do that. A self-proving will can make the validation process faster because the court can acknowledge it without communicating with the witnesses who are involved.
Testamentary capacity is a term used to describe the testator’s (the individual writing the last will) legal and mental capacity to write and modify their last will and testament. There are usually two requirements to fulfill: soundness of mind and age. In the majority of states, you’ve got to be over 18 years in order to make a will. Being of sound mind means that you’re aware of your estate and the heirs of your belongings and understand the consequences of your doings fully.
As regards to your spouse, it will be significant to showcase that Texas is a community property state, which implies that all the belongings that were collected in the marriage or that increased with the capital earned while in the marriage, belong to both of the spouses equally. That will make it implausible in reality to disinherit your spouse.
Texas law indicates that you can cut your spouse out of your last will completely only with regard to those possessions you regulate, which in Texas are usually considered as “separate property.”
The sole possible way for you to disinherit your marriage partner will be to engage in a prenuptial agreement with him or her before marriage. In this document, you can redefine the marital property and change your partner’s share.
With regard to everyone else, it’s legal in Texas to disinherit members of your family in your will. Your adult children or any other relatives can be lawfully disinherited entirely in your last will and testament.
Yes, it is possible to amend it. A person who wrote the will is permitted to adjust or revoke their last will at any time. The only case that will not let you do it is when such action is forbidden under the contract you entered. Additionally, it is a good idea to review your last will as you undergo a major life event, including:
If the last will is lost or destroyed, in line with Texas law, the court will recognize it. However, the probate court is not likely to recognize anything except for the original of the will to probate.
As outlined by Texas law, the will’s absence may be regarded as its repeal. That implies that the trustee will have to provide evidence of the will’s validity, which can be very complicated.
For holographic last wills, the process can become a lot more difficult as sworn witnesses and testimony are required. Moreover, you will also have to provide proof of why the last will and its details can’t be produced in a way that will also confirm it has not been annulled.
| Related documents | Times when you might need to make one |
| Codicil | There are a number of slight modifications you wish to make to your last will. |
| Self-proving affidavit | You want the probate to be faster when the time comes. |
| Living will | You would like to express your wishes about the end-of-life medical treatment and life-prolonging measures. |
| Living trust | You would like to take care of your end-of-life affairs without probate. |
