Don’t Table Your Antique Table

Written by Kirstin Hawthorne and Reviewed by Angie Spong, Attorney

When creating your estate plan, it’s easy to focus on big assets like your home or savings, but don’t forget about the personal items that make your life uniquely yours. Your furniture, jewelry, artwork, and sentimental heirlooms may not seem as important as your house or bank accounts, but they often carry deep emotional and financial value. These items hold memories and stories and thinking about what will happen to them when you're gone can help bring peace of mind to you—and to those who will inherit them.

What is Personal Property?

Personal property refers to all the physical things you own—things that you can see, touch, and pass down to loved ones, like your antique table, favorite chair, family heirlooms, or rare collectibles. While these items might not have the same price tag as your home or retirement accounts, they often hold significant sentimental value. And some may even be worth more than you realize.

Make Sure It’s Included

Just like your bigger assets, your personal property should be included in your estate plan. By adding these items to your trust, you ensure that they’re transferred according to your wishes when you're gone. One simple way to do this is by using a Tangible Personal Property Memorandum—a document that lets you specify exactly who should receive each item. Whether it’s your antique table, your grandmother’s necklace, or that vintage guitar, this memorandum ensures your belongings go to the right people. The best part? It’s flexible, so you can update it whenever your possessions or wishes change.

Why Use a Trust?

While you could list your personal property in your will, including these items in your trust offers some important advantages. A trust allows for a quicker and smoother transfer, avoids the lengthy and often public probate process, and keeps things private. This way, your special items can be passed on quickly, without unnecessary delays or drama.

Consider Special Items Like Vehicles

Some items, like cars or motorcycles, require a little extra attention since they have legal titles. You can still include them in your Tangible Personal Property Memorandum or use joint ownership to automatically transfer them to the right person when you’re no longer around.

At the end of the day, your personal property might seem less significant than your home or savings, but these items carry the memories, stories, and emotions that make your life unique. Planning ahead ensures that your things go to the right people and can help avoid family disagreements down the line. 

So, don’t table the discussion on who gets the antique table. It’s often the sentimental items that cause the most disagreements after you’re gone. Ready to make sure your cherished belongings are protected and end up with the right person? We’re here to help guide you through the process and make sure everything is in order.