Notarize a Last Will & Testament
One of the most important documents a person executes during the course of a lifetime is her last will and testament. Understanding the importance of a will, ensuring that the instrument properly is drafted, signed, witnessed and notarized is essentially. Although the laws vary slightly from state to state, the general guidelines associated with notarize a last will and testament essentially are the same in each U.S. jurisdiction.
Instructions
1. Obtain the original last will and testament.
2. Gather the individual who is to sign the will together with the proper number of witnesses. The number of individuals needed to witness a will signing varies from state to state. Typically the number of required witnesses is two to four.
3. Ensure that the person who is to sign the will and all witnesses understand the task at hand. A person cannot sign her will and no one can witness the execution who is not competent and who does not understand what is being done at a will signing.
4. Ask the individual signing the will to clearly state that he understands that he is executing his last will and testament, that he is aware of the contents, that he is signing the will of his own free will. Also have the signer note that he is not under the influence of any mind altering substance at the time of the signing.
5. Direct the individual who is executing her will to sign the document and then apply her initials to the bottom of each page of the last will and testament.
6. Ask each witness to verify that the person signing the will is competent and understands what is contained in the will itself.
7. Instruct each witness to sign on a designated line at the end of the will document.
8. Apply the official notary stamp (or seal) at the end of the last will and testament.
9. Sign the document validating the signatures of the individual who signed the last will and testament and all witnesses.
Tags: last will, last will, last will testament, sign will, signing will, will testament, each witness
