How to make a will by state

Every state has its own requirements for making a will. Find your state and learn what you need to make a will.

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Elissa SuhSenior Editor & Disability Insurance ExpertElissa Suh is a disability insurance expert and a former senior editor at Policygenius, where she also covered wills, trusts, and advance planning. Her work has appeared in MarketWatch, CNBC, PBS, Inverse, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and more.

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Every state has its own requirements for making a will. While some of the requirements are very similar between states — for example, you'll almost always need witnesses to sign the will to make it valid — there are some key differences, too.

Often, state will requirements may vary along such factors as the characteristics of the executor or of your witnesses. If your estate is worth under a certain amount after you die, sometimes your heirs can avoid probate entirely, but that threshold too varies between states.

Making a will in each state

Click on your state below to learn more about how to make a will in that state.

Alabama

Indiana

Nebraska

South Carolina

Alaska

Iowa

Nevada

South Dakota

Arizona

Kansas

New Hampshire

Tennessee

Arkansas

Kentucky

New Jersey

Texas

California

Louisiana

New Mexico

Utah

Colorado

Maine

New York

Vermont

Connecticut

Maryland

North Carolina

Virginia

Delaware

Massachusetts

North Dakota

Washington

Florida

Michigan

Ohio

West Virginia

Georgia

Minnesota

Oklahoma

Wisconsin

Hawaii

Mississippi

Oregon

Wyoming

Idaho

Missouri

Pennsylvania

Illinois

Montana

Rhode Island

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A strong estate plan starts with life insurance