Tangible Personal Property Memorandum Template

What a Personal Property Memorandum Actually Does

A tangible personal property memorandum (PPM) is a separate document referenced by your will that assigns specific physical items — jewelry, furniture, art, collections — to specific people. In states that recognize this approach, a PPM must be signed and dated and referenced by the will; follow the state's requirements when updating it.

The key distinction: your will governs how assets are distributed broadly. The PPM handles the granular, sentimental assignments — the engagement ring to your oldest daughter, the toolbox to your nephew, the vintage records to the friend who introduced you to jazz.

Which States Recognize a PPM

Whether a separate PPM is valid depends on state law. Before drafting yours, confirm that your state recognizes this approach and check its requirements:

• Signature: The document must be signed by the person making it
• Date: The document must be dated; date each version to resolve conflicts if there is more than one
• Format: Verify whether your state accepts a typed memorandum or requires a handwritten one
• Will reference: The will must reference the memorandum for it to be legally enforceable

How to Write One That Holds Up

A PPM does not need legal language. It needs clarity. Each entry should answer three questions without ambiguity: what item, who gets it, and how to identify it if there are similar items in the home.

The format for each entry:

• Description specific enough to distinguish the item from anything similar (include serial numbers for firearms, dimensions for artwork, distinguishing marks for jewelry)
• Full legal name of the recipient
• Relationship to you (optional, but reduces confusion)

Common mistakes that weaken a PPM:

• Vague descriptions ("my good jewelry" — which pieces?)
• Assigning the same item to multiple people across different dated versions without revoking the earlier one
• Including non-tangible property like cash, bank accounts, or real estate (a PPM covers only physical objects you can touch)
• Forgetting to sign and date it

A Plain-Language Template

Here is the structure. Adapt it to your state's specific requirements:

Personal Property Memorandum of [Your Full Legal Name]

Date: [Month Day, Year]

This memorandum is made pursuant to the provision in my Last Will and Testament dated [date of will] that incorporates by reference any written statement disposing of tangible personal property.

I direct that the following items of tangible personal property be distributed to the persons named:

1. [Detailed item description] — to [Recipient's full legal name], my [relationship]
2. [Detailed item description] — to [Recipient's full legal name], my [relationship]
3. [Detailed item description] — to [Recipient's full legal name], my [relationship]

If any named recipient predeceases me, the item shall [pass to an alternate / return to the residuary estate].

Signed: ___________________________

Date: ___________________________

Keep the signed original with your will. Give your executor a copy and tell them where the original is stored.

What Happens When There Is No PPM

Without a memorandum, undirected personal property falls into the residuary estate and gets divided according to the will's residuary clause — or, if there is no will, according to your state's intestate succession laws, which determine who inherits and each heir's share without identifying who gets which specific item.

This is where families fracture. Research from the University of Minnesota Extension's landmark "Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate?" study found that roughly 35% of families experience relationship-damaging conflict during estate settlement, and the fights concentrate on sentimental items rather than high-value assets.

A clear PPM gives your executor written direction about specific belongings.

Updating and Revoking

Where state law allows, revise a PPM by creating a new signed and dated version that is referenced by your will. Best practice: include a revocation clause at the top ("This memorandum supersedes all prior memorandums dated before [today's date]") and destroy physical copies of older versions to avoid confusion.

Review your PPM annually or after major life events — births, deaths, divorces, or significant acquisitions. Items you no longer own should be removed to prevent executor confusion.

If you are settling an estate right now and need a structured system for dividing personal property among multiple heirs fairly, the complete division toolkit walks you through allocation methods, inventory templates, and communication scripts designed to keep families intact through the process.