"Oh, my Will was Notarized . . ."
I hear this statement often from people who have written their own Will or pulled something off the Internet. Only problem is, notarization is not a requirement for a valid Will in Washington State. I’ll generally respond with . . . “Good, did you have two witnesses?” Some say yes, some say no. The reason I ask of course is in Washington you must have your signature witnessed by two competent persons to ensure your Will is valid and enforceable. Those witnesses should also be “disinterested,” which is generally someone who does not stand to benefit from your estate. So if you live in Washington State and want to make sure your Will isn’t as worthless as the paper it’s written on, reprint it and sign in front of two disinterested, adult witnesses. Or, better yet, contact a qualified attorney to assist you.
