An Explainer: Codicil

Experts are of the view that making a will is of supreme importance. Not only does a will ensure that only the worthy get a share in your property after you are gone but it also puts an end to the possibility of any disputes arising over asset distribution. However, what do you do if in your lifetime you feel the need to make certain changes in your will? The answer is you have to prepare a codicil. In legal parlance, a codicil is a supplement document, stating that there are certain modifications that the willmaker would like to make in the previous documents. You can incorporate new clauses or delete existing portions while writing a codicil. To make a codicil valid, you have to follow the same process that you did to make your will legal i.e. getting it registered. While a codicil is a legal means to update a will, experts are of the opinion that one should prepare a fresh will in case one has to incorporate major changes in the old will; creating too many supplements through codicils might not be a good idea as it might create confusion. In case any confusion ensues and the matter has to be resolved by the legal system, the entire purpose of creating a will would fail.