Last Will and Testament in Tennessee
A simple will form for straightforward estates. A will is valid only if it is signed and witnessed exactly as your state requires (below); one that is not executed correctly may be ignored by the court. Larger estates, blended families, trusts for minor children or business interests are worth a lawyer's review.
What Tennessee law says
| Requirements for a valid will | Any person of sound mind who is 18 or older may make a will. Except for holographic and nuncupative wills, the testator must tell the witnesses that the document is the testator's will and sign it (or acknowledge an earlier signature, or have someone else sign at the testator's direction and in the testator's presence) in the presence of at least two attesting witnesses. The witnesses must sign in the presence of the testator and of each other. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024). |
|---|---|
| Self-proving affidavit | Yes. The attesting witnesses may sign an affidavit before any officer authorized to administer oaths, at the testator's request or after death at the request of the executor or an interested person, stating the facts they would testify to in court. The affidavit is written on or attached to the will, and if the will is not contested the court accepts it as if the witnesses had testified in court. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024). For wills signed before July 1, 2016, witness signatures on such an affidavit can in some cases count as signatures on the will itself (§ 32-1-104(b)). Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 32-2-110 |
| Handwritten (holographic) wills | Yes. A handwritten will needs no witnesses, but the signature and all material provisions must be in the testator's handwriting, and the handwriting must be proved by two witnesses when the will is probated. Tennessee also recognizes a limited oral (nuncupative) will made by a person in imminent peril of death who dies of that peril; it must be declared before two disinterested witnesses, put in writing within 30 days, and submitted for probate within six months. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024). |
Fill it in
Nothing you type leaves your browser. Replace anything still highlighted, and keep a signed copy.
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF [your full name]
I, [your full name], of [city, county and state], being of sound mind, make this my will and revoke all earlier wills and codicils.
1. Executor. I name [executor name] as personal representative (executor). If they cannot serve, I name [alternate executor name].
2. Specific gifts. I give [item or amount] to [beneficiary name].
3. Everything else. I give the rest of my property to [beneficiaries and shares]. If a beneficiary does not survive me by 30 days, their share goes to [alternate beneficiary].
4. Guardian. If I have minor children, I name [guardian name] as guardian, and [alternate guardian name] as alternate.
Signed on [date signed] at [city and state]. Signature: ____________________
Witnesses: we signed below in the presence of the person making this will and of each other, as required by state law. Witness 1: [witness 1 name and address] ____________ Witness 2: [witness 2 name and address] ____________
[Notary or self-proving affidavit, if your state provides one]
Last Will and Testament for other states · Tennessee tenant rights
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.