Most wills say very little about the everyday things a person leaves behind. They deal with the house, the savings and the investments, and then leave “the rest” to be shared. But for many families, it’s the rest that matters most: a grandmother’s ring, a father’s watch, the painting over the fireplace.
A personal property memorandum is one way to say, clearly and in advance, who you’d like to receive those things. This guide explains what it is, what people usually put on one, and how to write one that will help your family rather than confuse them.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. It doesn’t cover whether a memorandum has any formal effect. If that matters to you, speak to a lawyer or notary when you write it.
What a personal property memorandum is
A personal property memorandum is a separate written list, usually kept with your will, that names particular belongings and the person you’d like each one to go to. For example:
My mother’s sapphire ring: to my daughter, Anna Morgan.
The oak writing desk in the study: to my son, Tom Morgan.
My fishing rods and tackle box: to my grandson, Leo Morgan.
It’s sometimes called a tangible personal property memorandum, a personal property list or a memorandum of wishes.
Why people write one
A will is a formal document, and most people change it rarely. A list of belongings is different. It’s personal, it’s detailed, and it changes as life does: a grandchild grows up, a friendship deepens, an item gets lost or given away. Keeping that detail in a separate list lets you keep it current without revisiting your will each time.
It also spares your family a guessing game. Knowing what their parent wanted is often exactly what siblings need to divide things kindly, and it takes the weight of some of the hardest choices off their shoulders.
What people usually put on one
A memorandum is for physical things you can pick up and move, especially the ones with stories attached:
- Jewellery and watches
- Furniture
- Art, books and collections
- Family photographs, letters and keepsakes
- Tools, instruments and sports equipment
It’s a list of belongings, so money, accounts and property don’t belong on it.
You don’t have to list everything. Many people list only the things they have a clear wish about, and leave the rest for the family to share.
How to write one your family will understand
A memorandum’s real job is to prevent confusion. A few habits make that far more likely.
Be specific
“My jewellery to my daughters” leaves the daughters to divide it themselves, which may be exactly the conversation you hoped to spare them. “My gold locket to Anna; my pearl necklace to Clare” does not.
Describe each item so nobody could mistake it: what it is, what it looks like, where it’s kept. A photo, stored with the list, helps even more.
Name people fully
Use full names and, if there could be any doubt, their relationship to you. “To my nephew James Morgan”, not “to James”.
Say what happens if someone can’t receive it
People sometimes die before the person who wrote the list. Say what should happen then: “to Anna, or if she doesn’t survive me, to her daughter Ruby.”
Sign and date it
A signature and a date make it clear the list is yours and show which version is the latest.
Keep it with your will, and keep it current
Store the memorandum with your will, and tell your executor it exists. Each time you update it, sign and date the new version and destroy the old one. Two lists that disagree are worse than none.
Explain, if you’d like to
A memorandum is a list. It doesn’t have to explain itself. But many people find it worth adding a letter alongside it: why the ring goes to Anna, what the desk meant to you, the story behind the fishing rods. Those words can matter to a family as much as the things themselves, and they often prevent hurt when someone wonders why an item went to a sibling.
Common mistakes to avoid
Memoranda are simple, which is why small slips cause most of the trouble:
- Saying something different from your will. If the will leaves the ring to Anna and the list leaves it to Clare, the family is left with a hurtful puzzle. Anything the will already covers is best left off the list.
- Several versions in different drawers. Keep one current copy, dated, and destroy the rest.
- Vague descriptions. “My good jewellery” or “the painting” invites exactly the conversation the list was meant to avoid.
- Items you no longer own. Things get sold, given away or broken. Review the list every few years and update it.
- Nobody knowing it exists. A list the executor never finds can’t help. Tell them where it is.
Talking to your family about it
A memorandum can quietly settle things, but it can also surprise people at the worst possible moment. If you feel able to, talk to your family about your wishes while you can still explain them.
It doesn’t have to be a formal meeting. Many people find it easier to mention one thing at a time: “I’d like Tom to have the desk; he did his homework at it every night.” Hearing it from you, with the reason, is very different from reading it in a list after you’ve gone. It also gives your family a chance to tell you something you might not know, such as that your granddaughter has always loved the sewing box.
Some families find it helps to ask each person, gently, whether there’s anything they’d especially love to have. You may find that most of the list writes itself, and that the few things two people want are easier to settle with you than without you.
When there’s no memorandum
Most people don’t leave one, and families still manage. If your parent didn’t leave a list, the family decides together who receives what.
Our guides on dividing a parent’s belongings among siblings and ways families take turns choosing walk through how to do that fairly. If your parent spoke about their wishes but never wrote them down, those conversations are worth sharing with each other early on. They often settle more than any method.
Where Partage fits
Partage isn’t a legal tool, and nothing you record in it is a will or a memorandum. But its Planning mode is built for the thinking that comes before one.
- Bequests: list your belongings with a photo and their story, and choose who you hope each one goes to: one person, or everyone to share.
- A private note on each: a line just for that item, such as “this was your grandmother’s.”
- Intentions: a letter in your own words, with a part for each person naming what you hope they’ll have and why. You can print it.
The plan stays private to you; your family can’t see it while you’re planning. When the time comes and the estate moves to settling, they see your hopes as gentle notes on each item and still decide together. A printed letter can also be a starting point for a conversation with a lawyer or notary.
Planning is free during early access; see pricing for details.
Questions families ask
What should I put on a personal property memorandum?
The physical things that matter to you and your family: jewellery, watches, furniture, art, books, photographs, letters, tools and keepsakes. Describe each one clearly and name the person you'd like to receive it in full.
How often should I update my list?
Look at it every few years, and whenever something changes: an item is sold or given away, a grandchild grows up, or your feelings about who should have what change. Sign and date each new version and destroy the old one, so there's no doubt which list is current.
Should I tell my family what's on it?
If you feel able to, yes. Hearing your wishes from you, with the reasons, is very different from reading them in a list afterwards. It also gives your family a chance to tell you something you might not know.
Is a memorandum the same as a letter to my family?
Not quite. A memorandum is a list: this item, to this person. A letter explains the why: what things meant to you and the stories behind them. Many people write both, a list for the things and a letter for the reasons.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For anything formal, a lawyer or notary can help.