What is the minimum age to write a valid will?

• A. 18
• B. 21
• C. 16
• D. 17

Answer: (A)

To validly execute a will, the person must have testamentary capacity and be of legal age. The typical age of majority is eighteen, which means once you’re eighteen you’re considered capable of understanding the act and its consequences and of making a disposition of your property. At that age you’re presumed to know you’re making a will, understand your property, and recognize who might be affected, all without undue influence. Below that age, such as sixteen or seventeen, individuals are generally considered minors and cannot form a valid will. Twenty-one is not the standard minimum for wills, though some contexts treat adults as eligible regardless of other rules; the commonly tested rule is eighteen.