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What is a holographic will?

Last Updated: February 29, 2008

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A holographic will is a will that is handwritten and unwitnessed. While it is not the best way to go about making a will, holographic wills are considered legal in about half the states.

Holographic wills originated in the gold fields when a miner wrote who he wanted to receive his claim in blood on a shovel after being shot by a claim jumper. While they don't need to be written in blood, they do need to be written all in a person's own hand. If any part of a holographic will is typed, it must be witnessed.

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