Memorandum

How do I use a memorandum to give away personal items in my will?

A memorandum of personal property lets you list specific items like jewelry, furniture, or family heirlooms and who should receive them, without having to update your entire will each time you want to make changes. You simply reference the memorandum in your will, then create a separate document listing your items and beneficiaries. This approach keeps your will simpler and allows you to update personal property distributions more easily. The memorandum must be signed and dated to be effective, and some states have specific requirements for how it should be formatted.