A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death. For the devolution of property not disposed of by will, see inheritance and intestacy.

In the strictest sense, a "will" has historically been limited to real property while "testament" applies only to dispositions of personal property (thus giving rise to the popular title of the document as "Last Will and Testament"), though this distinction is seldom observed today. A will may also create a testamentary trust that is effective only after the death of the testator.

Types of wills generally include:

• nuncupative (non-culpatory) - oral or dictated; often limited to sailors or military personnel

• holographic- written in the hand of the testator; in many jurisdictions, the signature and the material terms of the holographic will must be in the handwriting of the testator.

• self-proved- in solemn form with affidavits of subscribing witnesses to avoid probate

• notarial - will in public form and prepared by a civil-law notary (civil-law jurisdictions and Louisiana, United States)

• mystic- sealed until death

• serviceman's will - will of person in active-duty military service and usually lacking certain formalities, particularly under English law

• reciprocal/mirror/mutual/husband and wife wills - wills made by two or more parties (typically spouses) that make similar or identical provisions in favor of each other

• unsolemn will - will in which the executor is unnamed

• will in solemn form - signed by testator and witnesses