There’s actually no limit on the number of wills that you may write in your lifetime. Life can change, and your will should reflect things like births in the family, deaths, the evolution of your personal relationships and the ups-and-downs of your fortunes.
It’s not unusual, in fact, for some people to review their wills every year or every few years, updating them as necessary over time.
The bigger question is, “What do you do with the old, outdated will?” when you’re done making a new one?
Gather all copies of your old will and destroy them
Unless you merely add a new clause, or codicil, to your existing will – which can be done when you need to make simple amendments to capture a new asset or designate a specific bequest to one of your heirs – you should destroy all copies of your prior will as soon as the new one is properly executed.
Include language in the current will revoking all prior wills
If you want your most current will to be unambiguous and honored, it’s wise to include language in your new one that revokes any other wills that you may have written. That’s a step that can help make sure that there’s no confusion about your final wishes, especially if your current will is dramatically different than your prior one.
Make sure your current will is in the right hands
Finally, make sure that you put the documents containing your new will in a safe place and that your executor has both a copy and access to the original. The only thing likely to be more disastrous to your plans than multiple, conflicting wills is no will at all – and that includes a will that simply cannot be located.
There are many options for your estate plans, so learn more about what it takes to make your vision for your family’s future a reality.