Clear Money Guide
What this guide covers
A quick view of the questions and evidence developed below.
Updated August 3, 2026. Quick answer: amending a will is cheaper than writing one, but by less than people expect — because a codicil has to be executed with the same formalities as the original will. The signing ceremony is most of the cost, and a codicil does not avoid it. Past two or three changes, or any change to who inherits the residue, restating the whole will is usually the cheaper and safer route.
The three routes, and what each really costs
A DIY codicil sits at the bottom of the platform range ($129–$599 covers most single documents). An attorney codicil is normally billed as a short flat fee or under an hour of time against a simple-will median of $625 nationally (middle 50% $450–$1,000). Attorney figures are the national medians from the LegalTemplates 2026 survey of 909 firms, verified July 23, 2026. They are national, not state-specific — see the note on state pricing below.
If the change really is a small one
A DIY codicil sits at the bottom of the $129–$599 platform range; an attorney codicil is normally a short flat fee against the $625 simple-will median (middle 50% $450–$1,000). A codicil is the right instrument for a narrow amendment — swapping an executor, adjusting one gift. It has to be signed and witnessed with the same formality as the will itself, which is the step people skip. LawDepot builds a codicil you complete and then execute under your own state’s rules.
LawDepot pays us a commission if you buy through this link — it costs you nothing extra. We are not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Affiliate Disclosure.
Why a codicil is not the discount it looks like
A codicil is a will, legally speaking. It needs the same witnesses, in the same way, under the same state rules — and if your state has a self-proving affidavit, the codicil needs its own. Two documents now have to be found together after death, and a codicil that contradicts the will creates exactly the ambiguity probate litigation feeds on. That is the real argument for restating.
When to restate instead
Restate when the change touches the residuary clause, when you are on your third amendment, after a marriage, divorce or a death among your beneficiaries, or when you have moved to a state whose execution rules differ from the one where you signed. The state-by-state execution table shows which rules travel and which do not.
What a will costs in the first place, and why the notary is not the part that matters.
Pricing figures are national and dated above. General information, not legal advice.
One state’s answer to the question underneath: when probate is required in Indiana.
If the change you are making is who serves as executor, what that person can be paid is set by a statutory schedule in 21 states, and the executor fee calculator computes the figure to the dollar with the statute cited beside it.