Secret Will: How to Draw Up a Document That Even a Notary Won't Read
Not everyone knows that Ukrainian legislation allows you to draw up a will so that its contents remain unknown to anyone — even a notary — until the moment the inheritance is opened. This possibility is provided by the Civil Code of Ukraine and allows you to maximally protect a person’s last will from outside interference. To do this, it is enough to prepare the text of the document independently, seal it in an envelope, and submit it to the notary under a special procedure. Such a document is called a secret will and has a special procedure for certification and storage.
What is a secret will
According to Article 1249 of the Civil Code of Ukraine, a secret will is a will certified by a notary without familiarizing themselves with its contents.
In other words, a secret will is a special form of will whose contents are unknown even to the notary. The person independently drafts the text of the document, seals it in an envelope, and submits it to the notary for certification and storage.
This method ensures complete confidentiality of the testator’s will until the inheritance is opened.
How a secret will is drawn up
The person who made the will submits it to the notary in a sealed envelope.
The envelope must be signed by the testator.
After that, the notary places their certification inscription on the envelope, seals it with a stamp, and in the presence of the testator places the envelope into another envelope, which is also sealed.
This is the procedure by which a secret will is certified in accordance with legal requirements.
What is the advantage of a secret will
The main feature of a secret will is that its contents remain unknown even to the notary until the inheritance is opened.
This mechanism allows a person to keep their will completely confidential and be sure that no one will become familiar with the contents of the document until the grounds provided by law occur.
Why it is important to know about this possibility
Although the secret will is directly provided for by Ukrainian legislation, many citizens do not even know about the existence of this form of expressing their last will.
Being informed about your rights and the possibilities provided by law helps to choose the method of drawing up a will that best meets the needs of a particular person and ensures the desired level of confidentiality.
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