By Perkins Road Notary
A will is worth considering if you want a say in who receives your estate and who handles it after your death. Whether a simple will is enough depends on your family, property, and goals.
What a will can accomplish
A will can direct property passing through your estate and name an executor. It can also address other permitted wishes and appointments. Without a valid will, Louisiana’s intestate-succession rules determine who inherits property governed by those rules.
That default result may differ from what you expect, particularly for a spouse, a blended family, or someone you support who is not a legal heir. The right plan begins with understanding your actual family and assets.
What a will does not replace
A will does not authorize someone to handle your finances during your lifetime. It does not serve as a healthcare power of attorney or living will. It also does not automatically control assets passing under a beneficiary designation or eliminate every succession proceeding.
Review insurance and retirement beneficiaries alongside your will. Powers of attorney and healthcare documents need their own attention. See our practical estate-planning starting steps.
Louisiana recognizes different will forms
An olographic testament must be entirely handwritten, dated, and signed in the testator’s handwriting. A typed form with a handwritten signature does not meet that description.
A notarial testament must be written, dated, and executed before a notary and two witnesses, with signatures required by current Civil Code article 1576. Louisiana revised its testament formalities in 2025. Use current Louisiana requirements rather than relying on an old checklist or a form from another state.
When to ask for an attorney-designed plan
Seek legal advice about forced heirship, trusts, a beneficiary with disabilities, substantial business interests, property outside Louisiana, contested family relationships, or restricting a beneficiary’s access to an inheritance. A simple document may not accomplish those goals.
For straightforward will preparation in Baton Rouge, call Perkins Road Notary for a quote and appointment. For a broader plan or legal advice, contact Field Law. Once your will is signed, keep the original accessible and tell the right person where to find it.
Official sources
Civil Code article 1575: Olographic testament and article 1576: Notarial testament.
Get help in Baton Rouge
Call Perkins Road Notary at (225) 341-3828 or visit 6161 Perkins Road, Suite 1C, Baton Rouge. See our notary services. Curbside service is available at our office; call when you arrive. We do not provide mobile visits.
Updated October 8, 2026: This article was revised to reflect current Louisiana law, agency procedures, and Perkins Road Notary service information, as applicable.