Create a non-financial asset list

You learned while serving in the executor role how important it is to understand the scope and value of personal property left in an estate. By creating a non-financial asset list, you can help your executor know about important items such as art, furnishings, jewelry, silver, china, etc.

Don’t worry about getting everything on your list appraised now. Values tend to change with age, condition, and the market. If you know what you paid for an item or what its value is currently, though, it does not hurt to write that down on your list.

Though you don’t have to fill in a value for each item, you should write down the history of items with actual and/or sentimental value and include any pertinent documentation with your list. The value of artwork or antiques might be tied to the ability to prove, through documentation, the history of the item. And your friends or family might value an item more if they know the sentimental significance of the items they receive as bequests from your will.

Just as you did with your financial asset list, you also should list where these items can be found if their location might not be obvious. Similarly, you should store your list in a safe place and let your executor know where the list is kept so he or she can access it easily.