Which of the following is NOT a requirement for proper execution of a will?

• A. The testator is 18 or older
• B. The will is signed by the testator
• C. The will is witnessed by two people
• D. The will is published

Answer: (D)

Proper execution of a will requires that the testator has the capacity (typically 18 or older and of sound mind), the will be in writing, the testator sign it (or acknowledge signing) in the presence of witnesses, and two witnesses sign the document in the testator’s presence. Publication—the act of telling the witnesses that the document is a will—is not required for valid execution. This is why the statement about publication is the false one: all the other elements (age/capacity, signing, and attestation by two witnesses) are the true requirements.