{"id":1637,"date":"2019-08-29T15:15:05","date_gmt":"2019-08-29T15:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/?p=1637"},"modified":"2024-03-28T21:12:12","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T21:12:12","slug":"will-not-valid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do Arizona Courts Determine When a Will is Not Valid?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve been chosen to be the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/executor-of-estate\/\">executor<\/a> of someone\u2019s estate, how can you determine whether their will is valid? The court makes the ultimate decision on whether or not a will is legally sound. But it helps to know what\u2019s required for validity, so you know what to plan for as an executor.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also important to know what could invalidate this essential document to protect your own estate planning interests.<\/p>\n<p>Requirements for a legally sound will include the manner in which the will was prepared and signed, among other factors. Some people choose to challenge a will in court because they doubt that its creator had the mental capacity necessary to make a valid document.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll go over which factors to consider when ensuring that a will is correctly created.<\/p>\n<h2>What to Consider About Will Validity<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>A will allows you to decide what happens to your assets, property, and minor children when you pass on<\/li>\n<li>To be valid, a will must be in writing (typed or handwritten), and signed and dated in the presence of witnesses<\/li>\n<li>Factors like coercion or improper execution can render a will invalid<\/li>\n<li>An estate planning lawyer can help you draft, check, and update your will<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Creating a will is of vital importance, as it\u2019s your chance to give back to your loved ones and prevent extra hassle for them after you die.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Required Factors for Validity<\/h3>\n<p>To create a will, you must be of legal age (18 in most states, including Arizona) and enter into the agreement voluntarily. If you were <a href=\"https:\/\/legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com\/coercion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">coerced<\/a> into it, it\u2019s not technically a legally valid form. Here are some other factors that are required for a will to be valid:<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Testament Capacity<\/h3>\n<p>You must have \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/wex\/testamentary_capacity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">testament capacity<\/a>\u201d to make a legally sound will. This means that you know that you\u2019re making one and understand that you\u2019re disposing of your assets and property.<\/p>\n<h3>It Must Be in Writing<\/h3>\n<p>The terms of the will must be handwritten or typed out. Your will might only span a single sheet of paper or require multiple, depending on the size and complexity of the estate.<\/p>\n<h3>Property Distribution<\/h3>\n<p>Your will must dispose of your property by listing assets and distributing them to your family and friends.<\/p>\n<h3>Will Must Be Signed and Dated With Witnesses<\/h3>\n<p>Your will must be signed and dated in the presence of two witnesses, who also need to provide their signatures. The individuals must be \u201cgenerally competent\u201d (which applies to most people of sound mind who are at least 18 years old) to serve in this position.<\/p>\n<p>The witnesses must be \u201cdisinterested,\u201d meaning they won\u2019t benefit from the terms of the will. Arizona law won\u2019t invalidate your will if a beneficiary or other interested party serves in this role, but it\u2019s still best to find impartial witnesses.<\/p>\n<p>This is just a general overview of the requirements for will validity. Depending on your unique circumstance, there are some other formalities you may need to create a valid will.<\/p>\n<h2>What Factors Make a Will Invalid?<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s important to know which pitfalls to avoid when you\u2019re creating your will. Here are some common reasons your will may be invalid:<\/p>\n<h3>It\u2019s Been Replaced By a More Recent Will<\/h3>\n<p>When someone creates a new will, it makes their previous will invalid. The most recent will created always has the final say on how that person\u2019s assets are handled.<\/p>\n<h3>Fraud or Undue Influence<\/h3>\n<p>If your will was created fraudulently, or under coercion or undue influence, the court will invalidate it. If you\u2019re presented with a will to sign as if it\u2019s an ordinary contract, it will qualify as fraudulently obtained and won\u2019t be honored.<\/p>\n<h3>It Was Improperly Executed<\/h3>\n<p>Arizona law states that a will must be witnessed by two people to be valid. If these conditions aren\u2019t met, the will won\u2019t count in court.<\/p>\n<h2>How Working With an Attorney Can Help<\/h2>\n<p>A legally valid will allows you not only to distribute your estate after death but gives you a chance to designate a guardian for your minor children and make a positive impact on your loved ones\u2019 lives. While state law doesn\u2019t require that a lawyer assists in will preparation, it can help to double check the document\u2019s validity if you have any doubts.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions About Wills<\/h2>\n<p>Here are a few of the most common questions people ask about wills:<\/p>\n<h3>Q: What happens if I don\u2019t create a will before I die?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you die <a href=\"\/arizona-estate-planning\/what-happens-with-no-will-arizona\/\">without a will<\/a> or a similar legal distribution device, Arizona law will determine inheritance rights for your assets. Usually, the deceased person\u2019s spouse or children will be first in line to receive the assets in the estate, followed by parents, siblings, or grandparents. If you don\u2019t have any relatives who qualify according to laws on the matter, the property will go to the state.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Q: How do I ensure my minor children are cared for after I pass on?<\/h3>\n<p>Your will should designate a personal guardian who will take care of your children if the surviving parent can\u2019t care for them or both parents have passed on. They will have guardianship until your children turn 18.<\/p>\n<h3>Q: How do I make changes to my will?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You can change it by making a new one or making an addition. If you need to make substantial changes, it\u2019s often easier to start over. To revoke your will, you must include a statement in the new document revoking your previous wills. If you just need to remove a beneficiary, change the name of the executor, or add a new provision, making a simple change (known as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebalance.com\/what-is-a-codicil-3505182\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">codicil<\/a>) to your existing will makes more sense.<\/p>\n<h2>What to Do if You Need Help With a Will in Arizona<\/h2>\n<p>Creating an estate plan can be a complicated process, especially when you have a large estate or many family members to account for. While the information here serves as a general guide, an <a href=\"\/arizona-estate-planning\/\">estate planning attorney<\/a> can give you answers to more specific questions. They can help you create a will, make amendments, or ensure that it\u2019s legally valid.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Call our Arizona Estate Planning team at <a href=\"tel:4804674325\">(480)467-4325<\/a> to discuss your case today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction If you\u2019ve been chosen to be the executor of someone\u2019s estate, how can you determine whether their will is valid? The court makes the ultimate decision on whether or not a will is legally sound. But it helps to know what\u2019s required for validity, so you know what to plan for as an executor. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How Do Arizona Courts Determine When a Will is Not Valid?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are several factors that go into determining wether a will is valid or not, but the Arizona courts will make the ultimate decision of its validity.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Do Arizona Courts Determine When a Will is Not Valid?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There are several factors that go into determining wether a will is valid or not, but the Arizona courts will make the ultimate decision of its validity.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Arizona Estate Planning Attorney - JacksonWhite Law\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-08-29T15:15:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-03-28T21:12:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"JacksonWhite Law\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"JacksonWhite Law\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/\",\"name\":\"How Do Arizona Courts Determine When a Will is Not Valid?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2019-08-29T15:15:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-03-28T21:12:12+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/#\/schema\/person\/8c21e57c3b7b5687d04d46c484300fb1\"},\"description\":\"There are several factors that go into determining wether a will is valid or not, but the Arizona courts will make the ultimate decision of its validity.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Practice Areas\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/practice-areas\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Estate Planning\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"How Do Arizona Courts Determine When a Will is Not Valid?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/\",\"name\":\"Arizona Estate Planning Attorney - JacksonWhite Law\",\"description\":\"JacksonWhite Law estate planning services.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/#\/schema\/person\/8c21e57c3b7b5687d04d46c484300fb1\",\"name\":\"JacksonWhite Law\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/22d099f2d357354cf7d7981ce859ebee?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/22d099f2d357354cf7d7981ce859ebee?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"JacksonWhite Law\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksonwhite\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/author\/jacksonwhite-law\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How Do Arizona Courts Determine When a Will is Not Valid?","description":"There are several factors that go into determining wether a will is valid or not, but the Arizona courts will make the ultimate decision of its validity.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How Do Arizona Courts Determine When a Will is Not Valid?","og_description":"There are several factors that go into determining wether a will is valid or not, but the Arizona courts will make the ultimate decision of its validity.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/","og_site_name":"Arizona Estate Planning Attorney - JacksonWhite Law","article_published_time":"2019-08-29T15:15:05+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-03-28T21:12:12+00:00","author":"JacksonWhite Law","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"JacksonWhite Law","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/","url":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/","name":"How Do Arizona Courts Determine When a Will is Not Valid?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/#website"},"datePublished":"2019-08-29T15:15:05+00:00","dateModified":"2024-03-28T21:12:12+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/#\/schema\/person\/8c21e57c3b7b5687d04d46c484300fb1"},"description":"There are several factors that go into determining wether a will is valid or not, but the Arizona courts will make the ultimate decision of its validity.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/will-not-valid\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Practice Areas","item":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/practice-areas\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Estate Planning","item":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"How Do Arizona Courts Determine When a Will is Not Valid?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/","name":"Arizona Estate Planning Attorney - JacksonWhite Law","description":"JacksonWhite Law estate planning services.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/#\/schema\/person\/8c21e57c3b7b5687d04d46c484300fb1","name":"JacksonWhite Law","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/22d099f2d357354cf7d7981ce859ebee?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/22d099f2d357354cf7d7981ce859ebee?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"JacksonWhite Law"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/jacksonwhite"],"url":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/blog\/author\/jacksonwhite-law\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1637"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1637"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1637\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2902,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1637\/revisions\/2902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/arizona-estate-planning\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}