The short answer
You can change your will in Ireland by making a new will or, for a limited amendment, by executing a codicil. Do not simply cross out names or write new instructions onto the signed document. For most meaningful changes, a fresh will is easier for everyone to understand.
A will is not something you make once and then ignore regardless of what happens in your life. The useful question is not “How old is my will?” but “Does it still produce the result I want with the family and assets I have now?”
When should you review your will?
Review it whenever something changes that could affect either the people named in it or the estate it deals with. Common triggers include:
- marriage or plans to marry;
- separation or divorce;
- birth or adoption of a child;
- children reaching adulthood;
- death or incapacity of an executor, guardian or beneficiary;
- buying, selling or inheriting significant property;
- starting or selling a business;
- a major change in family relationships;
- moving abroad or acquiring foreign assets; or
- simply changing your mind about who should inherit.
Marriage is a particularly important trigger
Section 85 of the Succession Act 1965 provides that a later marriage generally revokes an earlier will unless that will was made in contemplation of the marriage. A statutory exception applies in certain circumstances where parties to an existing civil partnership marry each other.
If you have recently married, do not assume an old will remains effective just because nobody physically cancelled it. Check it.
Option 1: make a new will
A new will gives you one clean document containing the current instructions. It can expressly revoke earlier wills and testamentary dispositions and avoids asking an executor to piece together a base will plus a series of later amendments.
A new will is usually the clearer route where:
- more than one provision is changing;
- beneficiaries or shares are changing;
- guardianship arrangements are changing;
- your family structure has changed;
- you have acquired or disposed of major assets; or
- the existing will is old or no longer easy to understand.
Option 2: use a codicil
A codicil is a testamentary document that changes or supplements an existing will. It must itself be properly executed.
A codicil can make sense for a genuinely limited change where the original will remains otherwise suitable. But the more amendments you add, the less attractive the approach becomes.
For a detailed comparison, read Codicil vs New Will in Ireland.
Can you just write the change on the original?
Do not treat a signed will like an editable notebook. Section 86 of the Succession Act contains formal rules for alterations made after execution. An informal handwritten insertion, crossing-out or replacement can create uncertainty rather than a valid update.
If the change matters, execute it properly.
What happens to the old will?
A properly executed later will can revoke an earlier will. The exact effect depends on the later document and the statutory revocation rules, which is why clear revocation wording is common in a new will.
Once the new will is validly executed, make sure the executor can identify which document is current. Do not leave a drawer full of signed versions without explanation.
What if an executor has died or no longer wants the job?
That is a good reason to review the will. Whether it requires a complete new will or can sensibly be dealt with by codicil depends on the rest of the document.
If the existing will already contains effective substitute-executor provisions, the death of a first-choice executor may not leave the estate without a route forward. But do not assume. Read what the will actually says.
What if your children are now adults?
A will written while children were young may contain guardianship and trust arrangements that reflect that stage of family life. When all children are adults, the structure you want may be simpler or materially different.
That does not mean the old will automatically becomes invalid. It means the document should be reviewed for whether it still expresses the intended distribution clearly.
What if you have separated?
Separation, judicial separation and divorce can interact with succession rights in ways that depend on the legal status and any court orders or agreements. Do not make assumptions from relationship status alone.
If you are separated or divorcing, use individual legal advice when updating the will.
Do you need to update a will every few years?
There is no magic expiry date. A will does not become invalid merely because it is old. A periodic review is sensible, but a material life change is more important than a calendar reminder.
Need a fresh straightforward will?
If your current family situation now matches one of our standard scenarios, it is often cleaner to create and properly execute a new will than to keep patching an old one.
When to use a solicitor for the update
Get legal advice if the update involves a blended family, separation or divorce, a farm or business, foreign property, bespoke trusts, significant tax planning, a likely dispute, capacity concerns or unusual provision for a spouse, civil partner or child.
Official legal references
- Succession Act 1965, section 85: revocation
- Succession Act 1965, section 86: alterations
- Succession Act 1965, section 87: revival
Important: This article is general information, not legal advice. The effect of relationship changes and earlier testamentary documents can be fact-sensitive.
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