testamentu

Testamentu is a term used in several Romance-language contexts to denote a will or testament—a legal document by which a person (the testator) expresses how their property and affairs should be managed after death. A testamentu may appoint an executor, designate guardians for minor children, and specify gifts to individuals or organizations. It can also address funeral arrangements and residual gifts.

In modern law, the content and formal requirements of a testamentu vary by jurisdiction. Common features include testament capacity (the testator’s legal ability), the will’s voluntary nature, signing by the testator, and (in many systems) witnesses or a notary. Wills can be formal, holographic (handwritten and signed by the testator without witnesses in some places), or oral (nuncupative) in limited circumstances. A codicil is a supplemental document that amends a previously executed testamentu.

Validity depends on compliance with local law, and revocation can occur through a later will, a physical destruction of the document, or explicit revocation statements. After death, the executor administers the estate, settles debts, and distributes assets according to the testamentu’s terms, subject to legal claims and tax requirements. Some jurisdictions recognize intestacy rules if no valid will exists.

Etymology: the word is related to Latin testamentum, the root of the English word testament. In some languages, testamento or testamentu are common spellings for the same concept.