Free Iowa Last Will and Testament
Build a complete Iowa will in minutes — free, no account. Fill in your details and download a ready-to-sign PDF with the protective clauses built in and Iowa's correct signing requirements.
A free, ready-to-sign will — but not legal advice.
This builds a complete Iowa will with the protective clauses most templates skip (survivorship period, residuary, minor's trust, executor powers). It becomes legally valid only when you sign it correctly (see the signing steps below). For a large or blended estate, have an attorney review it. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
About you
Children
Name all your children, even any you are not leaving anything to — naming them prevents an 'omitted child' claim.
Who inherits everything else (your residuary estate)
The catch-all gift of everything not specifically given. Shares should total 100%.
Specific gifts (optional)
Particular items or sums to particular people.
Executor (the person who carries out your will)
Options
Naming them states the omission is intentional. Note: you generally cannot fully disinherit a spouse (see the warnings).
Before you sign — Iowa notes
Choose 2 witnesses who are adults and who do NOT inherit under this Will. A beneficiary (or a beneficiary's spouse) should never witness your Will.
Add at least one residuary beneficiary with a share above 0%. Without a residuary gift, everything not specifically given would pass by intestacy (state default rules), defeating the point of the Will.
To make this Will valid in Iowa: In Iowa, the testator (18+ and of sound mind) signs the will, declares it to be the testator's will, and two competent witnesses (each 16+) sign at the testator's request in the presence of the testator AND in the presence of each other. Iowa does not recognize holographic wills. To make the will self-proved, add the § 633.279(2) affidavit signed by the testator and both witnesses before a notary; a self-proved will is admitted to probate without witness testimony.
This is a do-it-yourself Will for a straightforward estate. If you have a large or blended estate, business interests, tax concerns, a special-needs beneficiary, or want to disinherit close family, have an attorney review it. This is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
Or email yourself a copy (PDF)
Last Will and Testament of [YOUR FULL NAME]
ARTICLE I — DECLARATION
I, [YOUR FULL NAME], a resident of [CITY], [COUNTY] County, Iowa, being of full legal age to make a will and of sound mind and memory, declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, and I revoke all wills and codicils I have previously made.
ARTICLE II — FAMILY
I am not married.
If I have not named or provided for a child or other descendant in this Will, that omission is intentional and not the result of accident or mistake.
ARTICLE III — PAYMENT OF DEBTS, EXPENSES, AND TAXES
I direct my Executor to pay my legally enforceable debts, the expenses of my last illness and funeral, the costs of administering my estate, and any estate or inheritance taxes payable by reason of my death, out of the residue of my estate, without apportionment.
ARTICLE IV — TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY
I give my tangible personal property (household goods, furniture, vehicles, jewelry, collections, and personal effects not otherwise specifically given) to my residuary beneficiaries as they agree, or as my Executor determines if they cannot agree.
I may leave a separate written memorandum, signed and dated by me, disposing of items of tangible personal property. Iowa law allows such a memorandum to be given effect, and I direct my Executor to honor the most recent such memorandum I leave.
ARTICLE V — RESIDUARY ESTATE
I give all the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to [RESIDUARY BENEFICIARY].
If no beneficiary named in this article survives me, my residuary estate shall pass to my heirs at law under the intestacy laws of my state.
ARTICLE VI — SURVIVORSHIP
Except as otherwise provided, a beneficiary must survive me by 30 days to receive any gift under this Will. A beneficiary who does not survive me by 30 days shall be treated as having predeceased me. This protects my estate from passing through the estate of a beneficiary who dies shortly after me.
ARTICLE VII — APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR
I nominate [EXECUTOR NAME] as Executor of this Will.
I direct that my Executor serve without bond and, to the fullest extent allowed by law, without court supervision (independent administration). My Executor shall have all powers granted to executors and personal representatives under the law of my state, including the power to sell, lease, invest, and distribute estate property, to pay debts and taxes, and to settle claims, all without prior court approval, as my Executor deems to be in the best interest of my estate.
ARTICLE VIII — DIGITAL ASSETS
I authorize my Executor to access, manage, distribute, and dispose of my digital assets and electronic communications, and to act as my fiduciary under the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (or its equivalent in my state), with full authority to consent to a custodian's disclosure of the content and records of my electronic communications and accounts.
ARTICLE IX — SIMULTANEOUS DEATH
If any beneficiary and I die under circumstances in which the order of our deaths cannot be established, that beneficiary shall be deemed to have predeceased me. If my spouse and I die under such circumstances, my spouse shall be deemed to have predeceased me.
ARTICLE X — GENERAL PROVISIONS
This Will shall be governed by the laws of the State of Iowa.
If any provision of this Will is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain in full effect. Words of one gender include the other, and the singular includes the plural, as the context requires. The headings are for convenience only and do not affect the meaning of this Will.
EXECUTION
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I sign this Will, consisting of the foregoing pages, on this _____ day of ____________, 20____, at [CITY], Iowa.
____________________________________
[YOUR FULL NAME], Testator
ATTESTATION — The foregoing instrument was signed by the Testator and declared to be the Testator's Will in our presence, and we, at the Testator's request and in the Testator's presence and in the presence of each other, sign below as witnesses, believing the Testator to be of sound mind and under no constraint or undue influence.
Witness 1: ____________________________ Address: ____________________________
Witness 2: ____________________________ Address: ____________________________
SELF-PROVING AFFIDAVIT (Iowa Code § 633.279(2)) — sign this part before a notary to make probate easier:
(Self-proving affidavit, Iowa Code § 633.279(2))
State of [STATE], County of [COUNTY], ss:
"We, the undersigned, [TESTATOR NAME], [WITNESS 1 NAME], and [WITNESS 2 NAME], the testator and the witnesses, respectively, whose names are signed to the attached or foregoing instrument, being first duly sworn, declare to the undersigned authority that said instrument is the testator's will and that the testator willingly signed and executed such instrument, or expressly directed another to sign the same in the presence of the witnesses, as a free and voluntary act for the purposes therein expressed; that said witnesses, and each of them, declare to the undersigned authority that such will was executed and acknowledged by the testator as the testator's will in their presence and that they, in the testator's presence, at the testator's request, and in the presence of each other, did subscribe their names thereto as attesting witnesses on the date of the date of said will, and that the testator, at the time of the execution of said instrument, was of full age and of sound mind and that to the best of their knowledge the testator was at that time not under any restraint."
[Testator signature] ____________
[Witness signatures] ____________ / ____________
"Subscribed, sworn, and acknowledged before me by [TESTATOR NAME], the testator, and subscribed and sworn before me by [WITNESS 1 NAME] and [WITNESS 2 NAME], witnesses, this [DAY] day of [MONTH], [YEAR]."
(Signed) ____________ (Official capacity of officer) (Seal)
How to Sign Your Will in Iowa
In Iowa, the testator (18+ and of sound mind) signs the will, declares it to be the testator's will, and two competent witnesses (each 16+) sign at the testator's request in the presence of the testator AND in the presence of each other. Iowa does not recognize holographic wills. To make the will self-proved, add the § 633.279(2) affidavit signed by the testator and both witnesses before a notary; a self-proved will is admitted to probate without witness testimony.
Iowa requires 2 witnesses: All wills must be in writing, signed by the testator (or by another in the testator's presence and at the testator's express direction), declared by the testator to be the testator's will, and witnessed, at the testator's request, by two competent persons who signed as witnesses in the presence of the testator AND in the presence of each other (Iowa Code § 633.279). Witnesses must be 16 or older (§ 633.280). A devise to a subscribing witness is void unless there are two other competent disinterested witnesses (Iowa Code § 633.281), but the will remains valid.. Your will does not need to be notarized to be valid.
Choose witnesses who are adults and who do not inherit under your will. A beneficiary should never witness your will. Then sign the self-proving affidavit (Iowa Code § 633.279(2)) in front of a notary. That sworn statement lets the court accept your will without tracking down your witnesses later, which speeds up probate.
Can You Use a Handwritten (Holographic) Will in Iowa?
No. Iowa does not recognize holographic (handwritten, unwitnessed) wills — a handwritten note will not work. Your will must be typed and signed in front of 2 witnesses, which is exactly what this generator produces.
Spousal and Family Protections in Iowa
Can you disinherit your spouse? You CANNOT fully disinherit a spouse. Iowa's elective share is distinctive (NOT a flat percentage of the whole estate and NOT a UPC augmented-estate sliding scale). On election against the will, the surviving spouse takes: (1) one-third in value of ALL real property the decedent held at any time during the marriage that was not sold/conveyed with the spouse's relinquishment of distributive share; (2) all exempt personal property the decedent held as head of family; and (3) one-third of all OTHER personal property not needed to pay debts. The election must be filed within the statutory period after the will is admitted.
Children born after your will: Iowa Code § 633.267: if a testator fails to provide in the will for a child born or adopted AFTER the will is executed, the omitted after-born/after-adopted child takes the share they would have received had the testator died intestate, unless it appears the omission was intentional. Heirs whose shares are reduced contribute proportionally. This is why the generator has you name your children and states that any omission is intentional.
If a beneficiary dies before you: Iowa anti-lapse: if a devisee predeceases the testator leaving issue (Iowa's protected class is broad — devisees related to the testator), the devise passes to the devisee's surviving issue per stirpes unless the will provides otherwise. Generator should add an express alternate-taker clause. The generator's "per stirpes" option and survivorship clause work alongside this rule.
Survivorship, No-Contest, and Digital Assets
Survivorship: Iowa has NOT adopted the UPC 120-hour will-survival default as a general rule. Iowa's Uniform Simultaneous Death Act (Iowa Code ch. 633, §§ 633.523 et seq.) applies only where the order of deaths cannot be established. There is no general 120-hour buffer for ordinary devises, so the generator should draft an explicit survivorship period (30–60 days). The generator builds in a 30-to-60-day survivorship period regardless.
No-contest clauses: Iowa enforces no-contest (in terrorem) clauses, but Iowa courts apply a GOOD-FAITH AND PROBABLE-CAUSE exception: a contestant who brought the challenge in good faith and with probable cause does not forfeit. This is established by Iowa case law (no controlling no-contest statute).
Digital assets: Iowa has adopted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, so your executor can manage your online accounts and digital property — the generator includes a clause granting that authority.
Personal-property list: Iowa lets you leave a separate signed list (a "memorandum") giving away specific personal items, so you can update who gets what without rewriting your will.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Iowa?
Iowa is generous to a surviving spouse: if all of your children are also your spouse's children (or you have no children), your spouse inherits essentially the entire estate. The split only happens when you leave a child from another relationship - then the spouse takes one-half of the real estate and one-half of the personal property, guaranteed to be at least $50,000, and your children divide the rest. With no spouse, the children inherit everything.
- Spouse, no children: Entire estate. With no issue (or with issue all of whom are also the spouse's), the spouse receives all real property the decedent held during the marriage, all exempt personal property, and all remaining personal property not needed for debts - effectively the whole net estate.
- Spouse and shared children: Entire estate to the spouse if all of the decedent's issue are also issue of the surviving spouse. Under Iowa Code 633.211 the spouse takes all real property held during the marriage, all exempt personal property, and the rest of the personal property - so joint children effectively inherit nothing until the spouse also dies.
- Spouse and a child from another relationship: GOTCHA: If the decedent left issue, some of whom are NOT the surviving spouse's (e.g. a child from a prior relationship), the spouse takes only one-half of the real property held during the marriage, all exempt personal property, and one-half of the other personal property - but if that totals less than $50,000, the spouse is topped up to $50,000 out of the remaining estate. The balance passes to the decedent's issue.
- Children, no spouse: No spouse: the entire estate passes to the decedent's issue, per stirpes (by representation).
- No spouse or children: To the decedent's parents equally (or the survivor); if none, to the issue of the parents (siblings, etc.) per stirpes; then split to grandparents and their issue (paternal/maternal halves); otherwise escheats to the state.
Unmarried partners, friends, and stepchildren you have not adopted generally receive nothing under intestacy. A will is how you override these defaults. Source: Iowa Code §§ 633.211, 633.212, 633.219.
Updating, Revoking, and Storing Your Will
Review your will after any big life change — marriage, divorce, a birth, a death, or a move to a new state. To change it, either sign a new will that revokes the old one (the cleanest option, and what this generator produces) or add a witnessed "codicil." Do not cross things out on a signed will — handwritten edits can invalidate it. Store the signed original somewhere safe and tell your executor where it is; a will that cannot be found is presumed revoked.
Common mistakes to avoid: using a beneficiary as a witness; forgetting a residuary clause (so part of the estate passes by intestacy); leaving a young child a lump sum outright at 18 instead of in trust; not naming a backup executor or guardian; and never actually signing the document. The generator above is built to avoid each of these.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a will made online valid in Iowa?
Yes, if you sign it correctly. Iowa requires 2 witnesses. The document this tool creates is a standard typed will; it becomes legally valid when you sign it following the steps above.
Does my Iowa will need to be notarized?
No. Iowa does not require your will to be notarized to be valid. Notarizing the separate self-proving affidavit is optional but makes probate easier.
How many witnesses does a Iowa will need?
2 witnesses. All wills must be in writing, signed by the testator (or by another in the testator's presence and at the testator's express direction), declared by the testator to be the testator's will, and witnessed, at the testator's request, by two competent persons who signed as witnesses in the presence of the testator AND in the presence of each other (Iowa Code § 633.279). Witnesses must be 16 or older (§ 633.280). A devise to a subscribing witness is void unless there are two other competent disinterested witnesses (Iowa Code § 633.281), but the will remains valid. They should be adults who do not inherit under the will.
Can I leave my spouse out of my Iowa will?
You CANNOT fully disinherit a spouse. Iowa's elective share is distinctive (NOT a flat percentage of the whole estate and NOT a UPC augmented-estate sliding scale). On election against the will, the surviving spouse takes: (1) one-third in value of ALL real property the decedent held at any time during the marriage that was not sold/conveyed with the spouse's relinquishment of distributive share; (2) all exempt personal property the decedent held as head of family; and (3) one-third of all OTHER personal property not needed to pay debts. The election must be filed within the statutory period after the will is admitted.
What happens if I die without a will in Iowa?
Iowa is generous to a surviving spouse: if all of your children are also your spouse's children (or you have no children), your spouse inherits essentially the entire estate. The split only happens when you leave a child from another relationship - then the spouse takes one-half of the real estate and one-half of the personal property, guaranteed to be at least $50,000, and your children divide the rest. With no spouse, the children inherit everything.
Does a Iowa will avoid probate?
No. A will still goes through probate — it directs how your estate is distributed and names your executor, but the court still supervises (often a simplified, independent administration). To avoid probate entirely, people use living trusts and beneficiary designations in addition to a will.
How old do I have to be to make a will in Iowa?
Generally 18. Any person of full age (18) and sound mind may make a will (Iowa Code § 633.264). Witnesses must be at least 16 years old (Iowa Code § 633.280). You must also be of sound mind.
Can I write my will by hand in Iowa?
No. Iowa does not recognize handwritten, unwitnessed wills. Your will must be typed and properly witnessed.
Do I need a lawyer to make a will in Iowa?
Not for a straightforward estate — a properly signed will is valid whether or not a lawyer drafts it. See an attorney if you have a large or blended estate, business interests, tax concerns, a special-needs beneficiary, or want to disinherit close family.
Is this really free?
Yes. The generator is free, requires no account, and runs entirely in your browser — your answers are not sent to a server. It is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
Disclaimer
This generator produces a general-purpose will for a straightforward estate and is not legal advice or a substitute for an attorney. Will and probate law changes; the Iowa requirements here are current as of 2026-06-03. A will is only valid if signed and witnessed correctly. For a large, blended, or complex estate, tax planning, a special-needs beneficiary, or to disinherit close family, consult a Iowa estate-planning attorney. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
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