Will

Will, legal document by which a person (the testator) gives instructions concerning the disposal of his or her property (bequest, or legacy) after death. Wills are generally prepared by lawyers. Under most jurisdictions a will must be attested in order to be legally valid: Independent witnesses who have nothing to gain under the will must attest that the signature on the will is in fact that of the testator. Wills may be revoked during the life of the testator or altered by codicils. Wills generally appoint executors to administer the estate of the deceased and carry out his or her instructions. When a person dies intestate (without making a will), the property is normally divided among the next of kin.