A codicil is best described as:

A codicil is best described as:

• A. A transfer of property outside a will
• B. An amendment to an existing will
• C. A codicil is best described as a separate document creating a new will
• D. A trust instrument

Answer: (B)

A codicil is an amendment to an existing will. It’s a separate document that makes specific changes to the terms of the will without replacing it. When valid, a codicil is treated as part of the will and modifies provisions such as bequests, executors, or guardians without drafting a whole new will. It must follow the same formalities as the will (writing, signing, and witnessing) to be effective. This is why the correct description is that a codicil amends an existing will. It is not a transfer of property outside the will, not a separate document creating a new will, and not a trust instrument. If the changes are extensive, some people prefer to draft a completely new will, but that would be a new testamentary document rather than a codicil.

A codicil is an amendment to an existing will. It’s a separate document that makes specific changes to the terms of the will without replacing it. When valid, a codicil is treated as part of the will and modifies provisions such as bequests, executors, or guardians without drafting a whole new will. It must follow the same formalities as the will (writing, signing, and witnessing) to be effective.

This is why the correct description is that a codicil amends an existing will. It is not a transfer of property outside the will, not a separate document creating a new will, and not a trust instrument. If the changes are extensive, some people prefer to draft a completely new will, but that would be a new testamentary document rather than a codicil.