The draft itself is a template, not yet a valid will. Under 20 Pa.C.S. Sec. 2502, a Pennsylvania will must be in writing and signed by you at the end. Once you sign the final text at the end, whether you copied it out by hand or printed it, it meets that requirement. No witnesses have to watch you sign. When the will is probated, two witnesses usually confirm your signature (Sec. 3132), unless the will was made self-proving with a notarized affidavit (Sec. 3132.1).

No. Pennsylvania treats a handwritten will and a printed will the same way: both are valid if they are in writing and signed at the end. Copying the draft out by hand is optional, but your own handwriting is strong evidence that the document is genuinely yours, which can help when it is presented to the Register of Wills. Whichever you choose, write or print clearly and sign at the very end.

Pennsylvania has no forced heirship, so you are free to leave children out and direct your property as you choose. A spouse is treated differently. Under 20 Pa.C.S. Sec. 2203, a surviving spouse who is disinherited can file an elective share and claim one third of certain estate property, and that right stands even if your will says otherwise. So you can write a spouse out on paper, but the law still lets that spouse elect to take one third. If your family situation is delicate, state your intentions clearly and consider legal advice.

Keep the signed original somewhere safe and dry, such as a home fireproof box or a bank safe deposit box, and make sure your executor knows exactly where it is. Pennsylvania has no statewide lifetime registry where you file a will while you are alive. After your death, the original is taken to the Register of Wills in the county where you lived so it can be probated. Because the original is what gets filed, protecting it and telling your executor is the most important step.

We recommend against a single shared document. Each will should belong to one person and be signed at the end by that person. The clean approach is two separate mirror wills, one for each spouse, that reflect the same plan. Each of you signs your own, and each stays valid and changeable on its own.

Yes. A will only takes effect at death, so you can revise it at any time while you are alive and of sound mind. The simplest way is to write or print a fresh will, sign it at the end, and physically destroy the old one so there is no confusion about which is current. Avoid squeezing changes in below your signature, because anything written after the end signature in Pennsylvania is not part of the signed will. Review your will after major life events like a marriage, divorce, birth, or a large purchase.

No. This service helps you produce a clear, well structured draft to copy out by hand, but it is not legal advice and does not replace an attorney. If your estate is large, you own a business, you have blended family issues, property in more than one state, or you expect disputes, have a Pennsylvania attorney review your plan. For a straightforward estate, a carefully written will signed at the end can serve you well.