Common family heirlooms passed down through generations
There are all different kinds of family heirlooms but, generally speaking, they are items that are representative of a family’s wealth, history, or memories. Heirlooms are treasured items passed down to children or successive generations by a family member who has died.
Some heirlooms are valuable like antiques or jewelry. Others only have sentimental value, something to be remembered by, but are treasured and beloved just the same. Family heirlooms can be long lasting, generations old, and can have been passed down from a parent or grandparent for years, even centuries. However, others can be newly inherited from a parent or grandparent and will be passed along in the future.
Whatever family heirlooms are to you, they serve an important purpose – to evoke memories of the special people in our lives that have passed them on to us to treasure and share with future generations.
What are the most common family heirloom categories?
Our top 10
The following are out top 10 picks for the most common family heirlooms:
- Jewelry
- Timepieces
- Furniture
- Books, including the family Bible
- Collections
- Real estate
- Musical instruments
- Weapons
- Art
Just about anything that’s been passed down from one generation to another can be considered an heirloom. such as the seeds from heirloom plants, a cookie jar, a ball of yarn, knitting needles, or even the ashes of a beloved family pet.
One place to protect your legacy
Real estate is one of the common family heirlooms in our top 10. Many families treasure their family home. They consider it to be a family heirloom and want to pass it along from parent to child.
If you want a member of your family to inherit the family home without having to go through the probate process, consider adding the house to your living trust.
Putting a house in a living trust in California is more involved than just changing the name on your account. To avoid making any mistakes that may complicate the process, hire an attorney that specializes in estates planning, trusts, and probate law.