Oral wills are only valid if they are made by a member of the military while they are on active duty and in a theater of war.
Handwritten wills are only valid if they are entirely in the handwriting of the person making the will (the “testator”), are dated, and are signed by the testator. Handwritten wills must also be witnessed by at least two people.
It is generally advisable to create a formal, written will that is signed and witnessed in order to ensure that it is valid and will be enforced by the court. This is because it can be difficult to prove the authenticity and validity of oral or handwritten wills.
