Best examples of self-proving will template examples (with practical wording)

Quick tour of real examples of self-proving will template examples

Most people don’t want theory; they want to see how the wording actually looks on the page. So let’s start with several real-world style examples of self-proving will template examples, then break down why they work.

Below are sample snippets that mirror what many U.S. lawyers use today. They are illustrative only, not state-specific legal advice. Always check your state’s statute or talk with a licensed attorney before copying language.

Example of a basic self-proving will template for a single person

This is one of the best examples for a straightforward situation: a single adult with no minor children, modest assets, and a clear primary beneficiary.

Core will structure (simplified):

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ALEX MORGAN
I, ALEX MORGAN, a resident of Dallas County, Texas, being of sound mind and over eighteen (18) years of age, hereby declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, revoking all prior wills and codicils.

1. Personal Representative. I appoint JORDAN TAYLOR as Personal Representative of my estate. If JORDAN TAYLOR does not serve, I appoint CASEY REED as alternate.

2. Disposition of Property. I give all of my tangible and intangible property, including all real estate, bank accounts, and personal belongings, to JORDAN TAYLOR, if living. If JORDAN TAYLOR is not living, I give my estate to my siblings, in equal shares, per stirpes.

3. Omissions. I have no children. Any reference to “children” in this Will is intentional and not an oversight.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed this Will on this 15th day of March, 2025.

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ALEX MORGAN, Testator

The self-proving element is not in the body of the will itself; it appears in a separate self-proving affidavit attached at the end. That’s where the magic happens in probate.

Self-proving affidavit: the heart of most examples of self-proving will template examples

Here is an example of a self-proving affidavit that might follow the signature page. This is one of the best examples of wording that tracks the approach used in many U.S. states (based loosely on the Uniform Probate Code):

SELF-PROVING AFFIDAVIT

STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF DALLAS

BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared ALEX MORGAN, JORDAN TAYLOR, and CASEY REED, who, being first duly sworn, stated:

1. ALEX MORGAN, the Testator, signed the foregoing instrument as the Testator’s Last Will and Testament, and signed it willingly, or directed another to sign for the Testator, in the presence of the witnesses.

2. The Testator signed the Will in the presence of the witnesses, and the witnesses signed the Will in the presence of the Testator and each other.

3. At the time of signing, the Testator was over eighteen (18) years of age, of sound mind, and under no undue influence.

4. The witnesses are each over eighteen (18) years of age and not beneficiaries under the Will.

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ALEX MORGAN, Testator

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JORDAN TAYLOR, Witness

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CASEY REED, Witness

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me on this 15th day of March, 2025, by ALEX MORGAN, Testator, and by JORDAN TAYLOR and CASEY REED, witnesses.

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Notary Public, State of Texas

Most modern examples of self-proving will template examples follow this pattern: a short, clear will, followed by a detailed affidavit that spells out the legal requirements for execution, all signed in front of a notary.

For state-specific sample language, many legislatures publish statutory forms. A good starting point to understand how these are structured is the Uniform Probate Code text hosted by the Uniform Law Commission.

Examples include templates for married couples with kids

When you add a spouse and minor children to the mix, the examples of self-proving will template examples get more nuanced. You often see:

• A primary gift to the surviving spouse
• Backup provisions for children
• Appointment of a guardian and a trustee for minors

Here’s an example of language for a married person with minor children:

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF MORGAN PATEL

I, MORGAN PATEL, a resident of King County, Washington, declare this to be my Last Will and Testament.

1. Family Information. I am married to RILEY PATEL ("my Spouse"). We have two minor children, TAYLOR PATEL and JORDAN PATEL ("my Children").

2. Personal Representative. I appoint my Spouse as Personal Representative. If my Spouse does not serve, I appoint my sibling, AVERY LEE, as alternate.

3. Guardian of Minor Children. If my Spouse does not survive me or is unable to care for my Children, I nominate AVERY LEE as Guardian of the person of my Children.

4. Disposition of Estate. I give all of my estate to my Spouse, if my Spouse survives me by thirty (30) days. If my Spouse does not so survive me, I give my estate in trust for my Children, to be managed by the Trustee named below until each Child reaches the age of twenty-five (25).

5. Trust for Children. I appoint AVERY LEE as Trustee of any trust created under this Will for my Children. The Trustee may use trust funds for their health, education, maintenance, and support.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I sign this Will on April 2, 2025.

A self-proving affidavit, very similar to the previous example, would follow. In 2024–2025, many online will platforms and law firms use almost identical structures for married-with-children clients, because probate courts see this pattern constantly.

For background on how guardianship and minor-beneficiary issues play out in U.S. courts, the National Center for State Courts is a solid, neutral resource.

Examples of self-proving will template examples for blended families

Blended families are where template mistakes tend to explode later in litigation. Real examples from probate disputes often involve:

• Children from a prior relationship feeling disinherited
• Ambiguous language about “our children” vs. “my children”

Here is an example of more careful wording:

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JAMIE RIVERA

I, JAMIE RIVERA, a resident of Cook County, Illinois, make this my Last Will and Testament.

1. Family Information. I am married to ALEX RIVERA ("my Spouse"). I have two children from a prior relationship, LUCAS RIVERA and MAYA RIVERA ("my Children"). My Spouse has one child from a prior relationship, KAI RIVERA ("my Stepchild").

2. Gifts to My Spouse. I give my Spouse the right to live in my primary residence for as long as my Spouse wishes, so long as my Spouse pays property taxes, insurance, and ordinary maintenance costs.

3. Gifts to My Children. Upon my death, I give my remaining estate, including the residence subject to my Spouse’s life use, to my Children, LUCAS and MAYA, in equal shares.

4. No Gift to Stepchild. My Stepchild, KAI RIVERA, is intentionally not a beneficiary of this Will. This is not a mistake.

The self-proving affidavit for this blended-family will would again track the same witness and notary language. What changes across these examples of self-proving will template examples is not the affidavit itself, but the substantive gift provisions in the body of the will.

Example of a self-proving will template with digital and online witnessing

Since 2020, several U.S. states have adopted or extended remote online notarization (RON) and, in some cases, remote witnessing for wills. By 2024–2025, this is no longer rare. The underlying self-proving language is familiar, but you sometimes see references to remote appearance.

Here is a stylized example of a self-proving affidavit adapted for remote execution in a state that allows it:

REMOTE SELF-PROVING AFFIDAVIT

STATE OF COLORADO
COUNTY OF DENVER

BEFORE ME, the undersigned Remote Notary Public, appeared by secure audio-video communication AVERY JAMES ("Testator"), and witnesses RILEY KIM and HARPER LEE, who, being duly sworn, stated:

1. The Testator executed the attached instrument as the Testator’s Last Will and Testament.

2. The Testator and witnesses appeared before each other by real-time audio-video communication authorized by Colorado law, and affirmed that they could see and hear one another simultaneously.

3. The Testator declared the instrument to be the Testator’s Will, and the witnesses, at the Testator’s request, electronically signed the Will in the Testator’s virtual presence.

4. The Testator is over eighteen (18) years of age, of sound mind, and not acting under duress.

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO by remote appearance on January 10, 2025.

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Remote Notary Public

Not every state will allow this, and the exact wording has to match local law. But as of 2024–2025, these kinds of technology-aware examples of self-proving will template examples are increasingly common in states that have adopted the Uniform Electronic Wills Act or similar statutes. For a legal-education overview of electronic wills, the University of Miami School of Law has discussed these developments in its estate-planning publications and symposia (see, for instance, resources linked through miami.edu).

More specialized examples of self-proving will template examples

To round out the picture, here are a few more real-world style scenarios that show how flexible these templates can be.

Example of a simple will for an older adult with adult children

An older adult with grown children, no spouse, and a house plus retirement accounts might use language like this:

I give my residence at 123 Oak Street, together with all household furnishings, to my daughter, EMMA LEE. I give the rest of my estate, including all bank accounts and retirement accounts over which I have the power to dispose at death, to my sons, MICHAEL LEE and DAVID LEE, in equal shares.

The self-proving affidavit would again mirror the earlier examples. This is one of the best examples for people who want to keep things lean but still probate-friendly.

Example of a will where the main asset is a small business

Business owners often need to be more explicit:

I give all of my interest in RIVERSTONE COFFEE, LLC, including all membership units, goodwill, inventory, and equipment, to my sister, ALEXIS HARRIS. I direct my Personal Representative to cooperate with my sister in any required filings to transfer ownership under applicable state law.

The self-proving affidavit stays the same; what changes is the specificity of the asset description.

Example of adding a self-proving affidavit to an older will

Many people signed non-self-proving wills years ago. In some states, you can add a codicil with a self-proving affidavit instead of redoing the entire will. A lawyer might draft a short codicil that says:

I hereby republish and confirm my Last Will and Testament dated June 5, 2012, in all respects, and attach this self-proving affidavit to be treated as part of that Will.

Then the codicil and affidavit are signed and notarized. This is another practical example of how self-proving will template examples are used in real life to modernize older documents.

How to choose among the best examples of self-proving will template examples

With so many models floating around, how do you pick the right one? In practice, lawyers and judges tend to favor examples that:

• Track statutory language closely (many states literally print a model self-proving affidavit in their probate code)
• Clearly state that the testator was of age, of sound mind, and acting voluntarily
• Confirm that witnesses and testator were present together in the way the statute requires (physical or remote, depending on the law)
• Avoid using beneficiaries as witnesses, if possible

When evaluating online examples of self-proving will template examples, look for references to your state statute and recent updates. Laws around electronic signatures and remote notarization changed rapidly after 2020; some emergency rules expired, others became permanent. State court and bar association sites are usually more reliable than generic form sites.

For instance, many state judiciary or bar pages link to their probate codes and sample forms. You can often locate these through your state’s .gov domain or via the USA.gov portal, which can point you toward your state attorney general or court system for official information.

FAQ about self-proving wills and real-world examples

Q: Can you give more examples of when a self-proving will actually matters in court?
Yes. Real examples include situations where a witness has moved overseas, died, or simply can’t be found. With a self-proving affidavit, the court usually accepts the will based on the signed, notarized statement instead of requiring live testimony or depositions. Another example of its value is when siblings are fighting over whether Mom “really” signed the will; the affidavit gives the judge strong, contemporaneous evidence that the execution formalities were followed.

Q: Is a self-proving will valid in every U.S. state?
Most states recognize some version of a self-proving will, but the exact requirements differ. Some require two witnesses plus a notary; others allow notarization to substitute for witnesses in limited circumstances. The safest move is to follow your state’s statute. The Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School is a helpful jumping-off point for understanding state-by-state differences.

Q: Do all examples of self-proving will template examples need a separate affidavit page?
Not always. Some states let you embed the self-proving language directly under the signature block, so the witness statements and notary section are on the same page as the testator’s signature. Other states explicitly provide a separate “self-proving affidavit” form in the statute. Both formats can work if they meet the legal requirements.

Q: Is an online will service enough, or should I hire a lawyer?
For simple estates, many people use online templates that include self-proving language. For more complicated situations—blended families, disabled beneficiaries, large estates, or business interests—talking with an estate-planning attorney is usually money well spent. Attorneys will often start from examples of self-proving will template examples like the ones above, then customize them heavily.

Q: Can I turn my existing handwritten will into a self-proving will?
Maybe. Some states allow you to execute a separate self-proving affidavit that references your handwritten (holographic) will, but others do not. Because holographic wills are already more vulnerable to challenges, this is one scenario where local legal advice is very important.

Self-proving wills are not fancy; they’re simply wills that are easier to prove when it matters. Once you understand the pattern in these examples of self-proving will template examples—a clear will plus a solid affidavit—you can better evaluate any template you’re thinking about using, and you’ll know what to ask a lawyer to review or update.