Create Your Kentucky Last Will and Testament From the Comfort of Home
FindLaw DIY will forms can be completed quickly and easily on your schedule. With our guided step-by-step process, you can create a customized Kentucky will from the comfort of home.
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Fast and Reliable Kentucky Will Forms
If you die without a valid will in Kentucky, your assets will be distributed according to default state laws (intestate succession laws). These laws might not match your family’s needs, especially if you have a blended family, special needs children, an unmarried partner, or other special situations. With a valid Kentucky will, you can distribute your assets as you see fit rather than relying on state laws.
With FindLaw, you get everything you need to complete your will:
- Our process walks you through a few simple steps to create your last will and testament
- You can get answers to frequently asked questions about Kentucky wills
- Find a nearby attorney if you have a complex case or would like extra guidance
- Find out how to sign your document and make it legal
With FindLaw, you can easily create a will. Click on the links below to jump down the page:
Kentucky Will Options to Suit Your Needs
Last Will and Testament
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A do-it-yourself last will that’s easy to personalize.
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Estate Planning Package
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All the forms you need to create a personal estate plan.
How It Works
It only takes minutes to control your future. Need help? Contact one of our directory attorneys.
Answer Key Questions
In order to get started, you need a list of your assets, accounts, contact information of important people, and wishes for the future.
Create an Account
Creating an account is easy, quick, and secure. Save your information as you go and return when you have time.
We Create Your Document
We’ve done the hard part by researching and developing your state-specific form. You simply need to follow our clear process.
Print, Sign & Make It Legal
Print and sign your documents according to the instructions. This may include signing in front of witnesses or a notary.
What are the Next Steps to Make My Kentucky Will Valid?
Validate your Kentucky will by following these steps: See full process
Choose an executor
An executor is a person who winds up your estate under a court-supervised process called probate. They pay off your debts out of the estate and distribute your remaining property according to your will’s instructions. You should choose someone you trust for this role. Many people choose a spouse, sibling, or adult child. You may want to list an alternate executor in case your first choice is unable or unwilling to perform the task when the time comes. If you do not name an executor, the probate court will choose one on your behalf.
Choose your beneficiaries
Your beneficiaries are the people or entities you choose to receive your assets. You may name individuals like your family members. Or you can name entities like trusts and charitable organizations as beneficiaries. It’s a good idea to name contingent beneficiaries just in case your primary beneficiaries are unable to accept their inheritance.
List your assets and debts
Once you have listed your beneficiaries, you should then make a list of assets and debts. Your assets include your real property and your personal property. Real property means real estate such as your house, vacation homes, and land. Your personal property is composed of all of your other assets like your automobiles, furniture, jewelry, and accounts. With a list of your assets and debts in hand, your executor will be better able to quickly pay off your obligations and distribute your property to your loved ones.
Sign your will
You should sign your will in front of two competent witnesses. They should then sign the will after witnessing your signature.
Choose guardians for your minor children
If you have minor children, one of the most important things you can do in your will is to choose guardians for them. It can give you peace of mind to know that if anything were to happen to you and the other parent, your children can go to caring guardians of your choice.
Distribute your will and store it in a safe place
Once you have completed and signed your will, you should let your family know about it. Next, give a copy to your executor and attorney (if you have one). To ensure that your wishes are honored, it’s a good idea to keep a copy of your will in a safe place. A popular option is to store your will in a locked safe that a trusted loved one can access.
You May Want To Speak With a Lawyer if You:
- Have a past divorce, blended family, or other complex family situation
- Have a high-value estate
- Own a business
- Want to create a special needs trust
- Want legal review of your completed will
Ready to get started on your Kentucky will? It’s free to start.
Create My WillKentucky Last Will and Testament FAQs
If you die without a valid will in Kentucky, your property will be distributed according to default state law (intestacy law). Kentucky intestacy laws favor immediate family members as heirs. So, your spouse and children are first in line to inherit from your estate. Your spouse is entitled to half of the estate after funeral expenses and other costs are paid.
If there is no surviving spouse or children, the probate court will distribute your property to other close family members, then to more distant relatives. You should not rely on intestacy laws if you want to make your own choices about your estate or if you have unique family circumstances. If you have minor children, special needs loved ones, an unmarried partner, family strife, or other special considerations, you will need a valid will.
With a Kentucky last will and testament, you can avoid the default intestacy laws and make your own decisions about who should receive your property.
Creating a valid Kentucky will is easy and inexpensive with FindLaw’s do-it-yourself option. Best of all, you can create your last will and testament form without even needing to leave home.
A last will and testament is the main estate planning document. Through your will, you can express your final wishes to your loved ones and distribute your property according to your preferences. You can use a will to name guardians for minor children too.
A living will, on the other hand, is a legal document you use to make your medical decisions in advance. Your medical providers and family members would use your living will to make your treatment decisions if you were ever to become incapacitated and unable to make those decisions for yourself.
A living will is only valid during your lifetime and you cannot use it to distribute your assets. So, it cannot be used to replace a valid last will and testament.
No, you don’t have to notarize your will for it to be legally valid in Kentucky. But if you would like to have a self-proving will, you will need a notary’s services. With a self-proving will, your witnesses do not need to testify that the will is valid. Instead, the probate court can accept it as your valid will automatically. This can help to speed up the probate process and it relieves your witnesses from having to testify.
There are certain basic minimum requirements of a valid will in Kentucky. These requirements are similar to those of other states. You must:
- Put your will in writing
- Sign your will or direct someone to sign it for you
- Have two credible witnesses to your will
- Be at least 18 years old and of “sound mind” when you sign the will. An exception to this is that someone under the age of 18 can name a guardian for their child through a will.
A fully handwritten, unwitnessed will is called a holographic will. Kentucky law recognizes holographic wills as valid, but you must write it entirely in your own handwriting. You should avoid using a handwritten will if at all possible.
A court may be hesitant to consider an unwitnessed, handwritten will valid. It is difficult to interpret handwriting, and it may be hard to verify that the writing is yours. These problems can lead to family conflict if a loved one challenges your will. It can also slow down the administration of your estate and increase the cost of probate.
To avoid the hassles and legal fees that could result from a handwritten will, you should instead sign a printed will in front of two witnesses. With FindLaw, you can get a state-specific will in under an hour from the convenience of your home computer.
You can distribute most of your property through your will, but there are some exceptions in Kentucky. If you own any property in joint ownership with the right of survivorship, this property will automatically pass to your joint owner. You cannot change joint ownership through a will.
You also cannot change life insurance beneficiaries or retirement account beneficiaries through your will. To change your beneficiary designations on your accounts, you would need to contact those financial institutions directly.
You can change your will by either creating a new will or writing an amendment to the will (a “codicil“). For minor changes, a codicil will be sufficient. But if you want to make big changes to your will, you should create a new will.
If you have gone through significant life events since you wrote your will, you probably need a new will. When significant things happen in life such as marriage, divorce, or birth of a child, you might need to add or remove beneficiaries. It is best to do so with a new will. Keep in mind that you can change your will as much as you need to for a full year after purchase with our do-it-yourself will creation service.
If you want to revoke your will, you can do so in a few ways. You can:
- Burn, tear, cut, or otherwise destroy your will with the intent to revoke
- Write a codicil to revoke specific parts of your will
- Create a new will that revokes all prior wills
- Create a new writing that states that you are revoking your will. This writing should be signed and witnessed in the same manner as the original will.
If you create a new will, you should give a copy of it to your executor. You should also inform your executor that you are revoking the old will.
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