Under wills formalities, which feature describes a holographic will?

Under wills formalities, which feature describes a holographic will?

• A. Material provisions handwritten and signed, with no witness or date
• B. Requires a notary
• C. Executed with multiple witnesses
• D. A living trust

Answer: (A)

A holographic will is a document written entirely in the testator’s own handwriting and signed by the testator, without the need for witnesses or a notary in many jurisdictions. The emphasis is on the testator personally drafting the provisions, rather than following the formal process that requires witnesses or other formalities. The option that describes material provisions handwritten and signed, with no witness or date, matches this idea: the essential elements are that the content is in the testator’s own handwriting and is signed, and there’s no required witnessing. The other scenarios describe features that belong to different kinds of documents or formalities. Requiring a notary is more typical of a formal or notarized will. Executed with multiple witnesses points to a formal will that relies on witnesses. A living trust is not a will at all—it’s a separate estate planning instrument.

A holographic will is a document written entirely in the testator’s own handwriting and signed by the testator, without the need for witnesses or a notary in many jurisdictions. The emphasis is on the testator personally drafting the provisions, rather than following the formal process that requires witnesses or other formalities. The option that describes material provisions handwritten and signed, with no witness or date, matches this idea: the essential elements are that the content is in the testator’s own handwriting and is signed, and there’s no required witnessing.

The other scenarios describe features that belong to different kinds of documents or formalities. Requiring a notary is more typical of a formal or notarized will. Executed with multiple witnesses points to a formal will that relies on witnesses. A living trust is not a will at all—it’s a separate estate planning instrument.