Codicil

If you want to specify to whom your assets should belong after your death, you can record this in a will. That is a notarial deed. But you can -under strict conditions- also use a codicil. In the codicil, you can only arrange a limited number of things, namely who gets specific furniture, jewellery or clothes after your death. So you cannot name someone as an heir in a codicil, nor can you bequeath a sum of money to someone. That requires a will. However, you can record your wishes regarding your funeral in a codicil.

The requirements the codicil must meet are that it is handwritten (i.e. not computerised), has a date on it and is signed. If any of these requirements are not met, then the codicil is not valid.

The advantage of a codicil is that it is easy to amend. The disadvantage of a codicil is that heirs do not always know that a codicil has been made. It can also get lost (deliberately). One option to avoid getting lost is to deposit the codicil with the notary.

For more information on a codicil, please contact us. We will be happy to advise you.