Article I - Identification and Domicile
I am domiciled in the State of Arizona. My date of birth is [[Date of Birth]]. My Social Security Number (last four digits) is [[XXX-XX-XXXX]] for identification purposes only.
I declare that this Will is made while I am a resident of Arizona and intend that the laws of the State of Arizona shall govern the validity, construction, and administration of this Will and my estate, except as otherwise provided herein or required by controlling federal law.
Article II - Family Information and Marital Status
2.1 Marital Status. I am [[married / single / divorced / widowed / legally separated]].
If married: My spouse's full legal name is [[Spouse Full Legal Name]] (the "Spouse"). We were married on [[Date of Marriage]].
2.2 Children. I have the following living children (or "none"):
- [[Full name of child 1, date of birth, and relationship (biological / adopted / step)]]
- [[Full name of child 2, ...]]
If any child listed above predeceases me, references to that child include that child's then-living descendants, per stirpes, unless otherwise provided.
I have no other children, living or deceased, except as disclosed above. Any reference to "my children" includes only those named or their descendants as provided.
2.3 Other Beneficiaries. Additional beneficiaries (if any) are identified in the specific bequests or residuary provisions below.
Article III - Community Property Declaration (Arizona Community Property State)
Arizona is a community property state. All property acquired by me and my Spouse during our marriage (other than by gift, inheritance, or as otherwise classified as separate property) is presumed to be community property under Arizona law.
3.1 Separate Property. My separate property includes (but is not limited to):
- Property owned by me prior to marriage or acquired after legal separation or divorce decree;
- Property acquired by me during marriage by gift, inheritance, or devise, together with any income or appreciation thereon, to the extent traced as separate;
- Property designated as separate by valid agreement or court order;
- Earnings and accumulations after service of a petition for dissolution or legal separation (if applicable).
3.2 Community Property. My interest in community property consists of one-half (1/2) of all community assets, subject to community debts. My Will disposes only of my separate property and my one-half interest in community property. My Spouse's one-half interest in community property passes according to my Spouse's estate plan or by operation of law and is not disposed of by this Will.
3.3 Election. If my Spouse survives me, my Spouse may elect to take under this Will or under Arizona community property and elective share laws. Any election shall be made in accordance with applicable Arizona probate procedures.
Article IV - Executor Appointment and Powers
4.1 Executor. I appoint [[Executor Full Legal Name]] of [[City, State]], as Executor of this Will and of my estate. If [[Executor]] is unable or unwilling to serve or continue to serve, I appoint [[Alternate Executor Full Legal Name]] as Alternate Executor.
4.2 Bond. No bond or other security shall be required of any Executor or Alternate Executor serving hereunder, whether or not required by law.
4.3 Powers of Executor. My Executor shall have all powers granted by the Arizona Uniform Probate Code (A.R.S. Title 14) and any other applicable law, including without limitation the power to:
(a) Sell, lease, mortgage, pledge, exchange, or otherwise dispose of any real or personal property of my estate at public or private sale, with or without notice, on such terms as my Executor deems advisable, without court order;
(b) Invest and reinvest estate assets in any property or securities, including common trust funds, without being limited to investments authorized for fiduciaries;
(c) Borrow money and encumber estate assets as necessary for administration or distribution;
(d) Pay, settle, or compromise any claims, debts, taxes, or expenses of my estate;
(e) Distribute property in kind or in cash, or partly in each, at fair market value as determined by my Executor, without requiring pro-rata distribution;
(f) Continue any business in which I was engaged at the time of my death for such period as my Executor deems advisable;
(g) Employ attorneys, accountants, appraisers, investment advisors, and other professionals and pay reasonable compensation from estate assets;
(h) Make all tax elections and filings, including allocation of generation-skipping transfer tax exemption and qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) elections.
My Executor may exercise these powers without prior court approval to the fullest extent permitted by the Arizona Uniform Probate Code and this Will.
4.4 Compensation. My Executor shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for services rendered, in accordance with Arizona law and the fees customarily charged in the community for similar services, unless my Executor waives compensation in writing.
Article V - Guardian Nomination for Minor Children
5.1 Guardian of the Person. If any of my children are minors at the time of my death, I nominate [[Guardian of Minor Children Full Legal Name]] as guardian of the person of such minor children. If unable or unwilling to serve, I nominate [[Alternate Guardian Full Legal Name]] as alternate.
5.2 Guardian of the Property / Conservator. I nominate the same individual(s) named above as guardian of the property (conservator) for any minor children, or such other person as the court may appoint. The guardian/conservator shall manage any property passing to minor children under this Will or by beneficiary designation until the child reaches the age of majority or such later age as may be provided in any trust created for the child's benefit.
5.3 No Bond for Guardian. No bond shall be required of any guardian or conservator nominated herein.
Article VI - Specific Bequests
I give, devise, and bequeath the following specific gifts (if any):
6.1 Tangible Personal Property. I give all of my tangible personal property (including furniture, furnishings, household goods, clothing, jewelry, automobiles, boats, and personal effects) not otherwise specifically bequeathed to [[Primary Recipient, e.g., my Spouse if living, otherwise to my children in equal shares]], to be divided among them as they may agree or as my Executor may determine if they cannot agree.
6.2 Specific Items. In addition:
- To [[Beneficiary Full Name]], I give my [[describe specific item, e.g., "2008 Honda Civic automobile, VIN 1HGBH41JXMN109186", or "my diamond engagement ring", or "the sum of $[[Amount]]"]].
- To [[Beneficiary Full Name]], I give [[describe real property or other asset, e.g., "my undivided one-half interest in the real property located at [[Address, City, AZ ZIP]], more particularly described in the attached Exhibit A"]].
If any specific beneficiary named in this Article predeceases me, the gift to that beneficiary shall lapse and become part of my residuary estate, unless the gift is to a class (such as "my children") in which case it shall be distributed to the surviving members of the class or their descendants per stirpes.
Article VII - Residuary Estate
7.1 Residuary Disposition. I give, devise, and bequeath all the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate, of whatsoever kind and wheresoever situated, of which I shall die seized or possessed or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my death (the "Residuary Estate"), to the following beneficiary or beneficiaries:
[[Primary Residuary Beneficiary(ies), e.g., "my Spouse, [[Spouse Name]], if living at my death; otherwise, to my then-living children, in equal shares, per stirpes, or if none, to [[alternate, e.g., my siblings or named charity]]"]].
7.2 Alternate Residuary. If none of the above residuary beneficiaries survive me, my Residuary Estate shall be distributed to my heirs at law according to the laws of intestate succession of the State of Arizona in effect at the time of my death.
Article VIII - Simultaneous Death and Survivorship
If any beneficiary under this Will and I die under circumstances where it is difficult or impossible to determine who survived the other, it shall be presumed for purposes of this Will that I survived such beneficiary. This presumption shall not affect any joint tenancy or other survivorship property passing outside this Will.
Article IX - Debts, Taxes, Expenses, and Apportionment
9.1 Payment of Debts and Expenses. My Executor shall pay from my Residuary Estate all of my legally enforceable debts, funeral expenses, costs of last illness, and expenses of administration as soon as practicable.
9.2 Taxes. All estate, inheritance, transfer, and similar taxes (including interest and penalties) payable by reason of my death, whether or not attributable to property passing under this Will, shall be paid from my Residuary Estate without reimbursement from any person, unless otherwise provided by law or a tax apportionment clause in a trust agreement.
9.3 No Abatement. Specific bequests shall not abate for payment of debts, taxes, or expenses unless my Residuary Estate is insufficient, in which case specific bequests shall abate pro rata or in such order as my Executor determines is fair.
Article X - No-Contest Clause
If any beneficiary under this Will, or any person claiming through or under any beneficiary, directly or indirectly contests or attacks this Will or any of its provisions, or joins with or assists anyone in contesting or attacking this Will or any provision, then such beneficiary shall receive only the sum of One Dollar ($1.00) and no more, in lieu of any other interest or share in my estate. This clause shall not apply to any action brought in good faith to construe or interpret this Will or to challenge the validity of a provision on public policy grounds.
Article XI - Arizona Execution Requirements
11.1 Formal Execution (A.R.S. § 14-2502). This Will shall be executed in accordance with Arizona law. To be valid, this Will must be:
(a) In writing;
(b) Signed by me (the Testator) or in my name by some other person in my conscious presence and by my direction; and
(c) Signed by at least two (2) persons, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after witnessing either my signing of the Will or my acknowledgment of the signature or of the Will.
Each witness must be a competent adult who is not a beneficiary under this Will (or a spouse of a beneficiary, to avoid conflict issues). The witnesses must sign in my presence and in the presence of each other.
11.2 Holographic Will Alternative (A.R.S. § 14-2503). A holographic will, entirely handwritten and signed by me, and containing the material provisions and my signature, is also valid in Arizona if dated. A holographic will need not be witnessed. I may execute a holographic will by writing the entire document in my own handwriting, dating it, and signing it. Such a will is recognized under Arizona law as an alternative to a witnessed formal will.
11.3 Self-Proving Affidavit (A.R.S. § 14-2504). To make this Will self-proved, I and the witnesses may sign a self-proving affidavit before a notary public. A properly executed self-proving affidavit creates a presumption that the requirements of execution have been met and may eliminate the need for witness testimony at probate. The form of affidavit is set forth below.
Article XII - Self-Proving Affidavit
STATE OF ARIZONA
COUNTY OF [[County]]
We, [[Testator Full Legal Name]], [[Witness 1 Full Legal Name]], and [[Witness 2 Full Legal Name]], the Testator and the witnesses, respectively, whose names are signed to the attached or foregoing instrument, being first duly sworn, do hereby declare to the undersigned authority that the Testator signed and executed the instrument as the Testator's last will and that the Testator had signed willingly (or willingly directed another to sign for the Testator), and that the Testator executed it as a free and voluntary act for the purposes therein expressed; and that each of the witnesses, in the presence and hearing of the Testator, signed the will as witness, and that to the best of the witnesses' knowledge the Testator was at that time eighteen or more years of age, of sound mind, and under no constraint or undue influence.
Testator: _______________________________________________
[[Testator Full Legal Name]]
Witness 1: _______________________________________________
Printed Name: [[Witness 1 Full Legal Name]]
Address: [[Witness 1 Address]]
Witness 2: _______________________________________________
Printed Name: [[Witness 2 Full Legal Name]]
Address: [[Witness 2 Address]]
Subscribed, sworn to, and acknowledged before me by the Testator, and subscribed and sworn to before me by the witnesses, this ___ day of _____________, 20___.
_______________________________________________
Notary Public
My commission expires: [[Date]]
(Seal)
Article XIII - Miscellaneous Provisions
13.1 Governing Law. This Will and the administration of my estate shall be governed by the laws of the State of Arizona, including the Arizona Uniform Probate Code (A.R.S. Title 14), as in effect at the time of my death, except as otherwise provided.
13.2 Severability. If any provision of this Will is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
13.3 Captions. The article and section headings are for convenience only and shall not affect interpretation.
13.4 Gender and Number. Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa; words importing gender include all genders.
13.5 No Contract to Make Will. This Will is not made pursuant to any contract or agreement to make a will or not to revoke a will, unless expressly stated in a separate written agreement.
Signatures of Testator and Witnesses (Formal Will Execution)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my signature on this ___ day of _____________, 20___, at [[City]], Arizona.
_______________________________________________
[[Testator Full Legal Name]], Testator
On the date written above, the foregoing instrument was signed, published, and declared by [[Testator Full Legal Name]] to be the Testator's Last Will and Testament. At the Testator's request, and in the Testator's presence and in the presence of each other, we, the undersigned witnesses, have signed our names as witnesses on the date first written above.
Witness 1
Signature: _______________________________
Printed Name: [[Witness 1 Full Legal Name]]
Address: [[Witness 1 Full Address]]
Witness 2
Signature: _______________________________
Printed Name: [[Witness 2 Full Legal Name]]
Address: [[Witness 2 Full Address]]
> Template - not professional advice. Verify all figures, clauses, and required disclosures against current law for the applicable jurisdiction. Invented inputs are tagged as [[merge fields]]. This is a sample will only. Proper execution is required for validity. A will does not avoid probate unless assets are properly titled or placed in a trust.
Primary Sources (as of June 2026):
- Arizona Revised Statutes Title 14, Uniform Probate Code, §§ 14-2501 et seq. (execution of wills), specifically A.R.S. § 14-2502 (formal execution requirements - Testator signature plus two witnesses), § 14-2503 (holographic wills), § 14-2504 (self-proving wills).
- A.R.S. Title 14 provisions governing community property, intestate succession, personal representative powers, and probate procedures.
- Arizona Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions interpreting will formalities and community property rights.
This document must be executed with the formalities required by Arizona law at the time of signing. Holographic wills remain valid alternatives when entirely handwritten. Consult an Arizona-licensed estate planning attorney to review this Will in light of your full estate plan, tax situation, and any trusts, beneficiary designations, or joint ownership arrangements. Update this Will after major life events (marriage, divorce, birth, death, significant asset changes). Laws and forms change; verify current requirements before execution.
