News & Trending Money News

10 Unexpected Things You Can Leave in Your Will (Save the Family Recipe!)

You can build a truly personal estate plan by including items most might overlook.

By Stacy Garrels

Edited by Chris Kissell

Updated Jan. 30, 2025

Planning for the future often starts with building solid retirement plans, but it shouldn’t end there.

Your legacy is more than numbers in a bank account: It’s also the stories, memories, and thoughtful gifts that can bring comfort and connection to your loved ones.

With a little planning, you can help important items to live on. Here are some things you might consider leaving in your will that go beyond dollars and cents.

Steal this billionaire wealth-building technique

The ultra-rich have also been investing in art from big names like Picasso and Bansky for centuries. And it's for a good reason: Contemporary art prices have outpaced the S&P 500 by 136% over the last 27 years.

A new company called Masterworks is now allowing everyday investors to get in on this type of previously-exclusive investment. You can buy a small slice of $1-$30 million paintings from iconic artists, all without needing any art expertise.

If you have at least $10k to invest and are ready to explore diversifying beyond stocks and bonds,see what Masterworks has on offer. (Hurry, they often sell out!)

Family recipes

Imagine the smell of your grandmother’s barbecue sauce or your dad’s Christmas cookies. Family recipes do more than feed us: They tell stories and evoke memories.

Leaving behind a cherished recipe helps ensure your memory lives on at the dinner table long after you’re gone.

Many estate planners recommend you create a book or ‌binder with your favorite recipes, along with a personal note about why those recipes are meaningful.

Want to learn how to build wealth like the 1%? Sign up for Worthy to get ideas and advice delivered to your inbox.

Gifts to charities and nonprofits

Leaving behind a gift to a nonprofit is about more than having your name etched on a bronze plaque: It allows you to continue nurturing foundations and causes that matter to you.

So, think about giving money to your favorite organizations so you can help them survive to serve future generations.

Secret codes

Legendary escape artist and magician Harry Houdini allegedly left his wife a will that contained 10 code words. He wanted her to know the code so he could use it to identify himself when visiting from the afterlife.

Apart from gifting your heirs an Ouija board, you likely can’t give them the powers of supernatural telepathy. But you can help them crack other codes, such as passcodes to vaults and bank accounts.

Get a free stock valued between $5 to $200

Secret: You don't need thousands of dollars to buy thousand-dollar stocks or create a diverse portfolio.

Robinhood offers a method of investing called “fractional shares.” On its own, one share of a single stock could cost a lot of money, making it difficult to diversify. Robinhood allows you to buy pieces of stock instead, so you have the option to build a diverse portfolio quickly.

Let’s say you want to invest $250, as an example.

With that amount, you could build a relatively diverse portfolio with an investment of $50 in a big tech stock, $50 in a retail stock, $50 in an energy stock, $50 in a manufacturing stock, and $50 in a bank.¹ This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. To get stock reward, new customers need to sign up, get approved, and link their bank account. Stock rewards shares cannot be sold until 3 trading days after the reward is granted and the cash value of the stock rewards may not be withdrawn for 30 days after the reward is claimed. Stock rewards not claimed within 60 days may expire. See full terms and conditions at <a href="https://robinhood.com/us/en/support/articles/open-account-pick-your-stock/">rbnhd.co/freestock</a>. Fractional shares are illiquid outside of Robinhood and are not transferable. Not all securities available through Robinhood are eligible for fractional share orders. For a complete explanation of conditions, restrictions and limitations associated with fractional shares, see the Fractional Shares section of our Customer Agreement. Robinhood Gold is offered through Robinhood Financial LLC and is a membership offering premium services available for a fee.

Even better news? Add a Robinhood Gold membership, and you’ll get access to 4.25% (as of 11/15/24) APY² Annual Percentage Yield. Rate valid as of April 12, 2024. To earn interest, a cash balance is needed. If you have a margin balance, there is no cash balance to earn interest. Interest rates for cash sweep and margin investing can change at any time. Fees may reduce interest earnings. on your uninvested cash³ Interest is earned on uninvested cash swept from your brokerage account to partner banks. Partner banks pay interest on your swept cash, minus any fees paid to Robinhood. As of Nov 15, 2023, the Annual Percentage Yield (APY) that you will receive is 1.5%, or 5% for Gold customers. The APY might change at any time at the partner banks' or Robinhood's discretion. Additionally, any fees Robinhood receives may vary and are subject to change. Neither Robinhood Financial LLC nor any of its affiliates are banks. All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible. Robinhood Financial LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer. and the ability to buy and sell stocks 24 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Open and fund a Robinhood account and earn up to $200 in stock

Collections

Your collection of vinyl records, antique teacups, or baseball cards might hold more sentimental value than financial worth. But to the right person, these items are priceless.

So, use your will to be intentional about who will get these treasures.

Collections tell a story about your interests and passions. By designating a specific heir, you ensure these items are appreciated and cared for by someone who understands their significance.

You also leave a tangible way for them to physically connect to your memory.

Provisions for your pet

Your furry friend is family, and ensuring a pet’s well-being after you’re gone can be as simple as including provisions for the animal in your will.

While you can’t transfer ownership directly to a pet through a will, you can designate a trusted friend or family member to care for them.

To ease the financial burden, it’s smart to leave a legacy big enough to cover the cost of the pet’s food, medical care, and other needs.

And if the designated individual you select cannot care for the pet, make backup provisions, such as a preference for the animal to find a new home through a specific welfare group.

Lottery tickets

What’s more exciting than the thrill of a winning lottery ticket? Leaving behind unclaimed tickets can be a surprising and delightful gesture, even in a time of grief.

If your heirs hold the winning numbers, they could still claim the prize. It’s not unheard of for a person to die with unclaimed lottery winnings. A few years ago, a Michigan man died with an unclaimed lottery ticket worth $45,000 in his pocket.

Grow Your $$: 11 brilliant ways to build wealth after 40

Digital assets

A significant portion of our lives — romance, socializing, media, and even work — has gone digital. This great leap forward can make inheritance more complex.

To simplify matters, leave a detailed list of your online assets, including logins, passwords, and any other necessary tools to access information.

If you run an internet-based business — such as a YouTube channel or a revenue-generating Instagram account — careful planning is crucial. Be sure to designate who will inherit these accounts to ensure a seamless transition.

Other valuables and sentimental items

Wills often focus on significant assets such as homes and savings, or pricey items such as oil paintings and baby grand pianos.

But smaller, sentimental objects can carry just as much emotional weight. Personal belongings — such as costume jewelry, family photographs, or even a wooden mixing spoon— may hold deep meaning for loved ones.

Include instructions for these belongings to ensure they’re passed on to the people who will want to honor your memory and preserve the items for future generations.

Loyalty points

From grocery store rewards to hotel chain frequent-guest programs, loyalty points can add up to significant savings over time.

Many people forget about these points when writing their will, but they could be a small gold mine for family members.

Some programs may have restrictions, such as no transfers upon death. But explicitly stating your intentions and leaving instructions to transfer or redeem points will ensure nothing gets overlooked.

Earn up to a $300 bonus and grow your money with up to 3.80% APY

This powerful combination checking + savings account from SoFi® allows you to earn up to a $300 bonus with direct deposit and grow your money with up to 3.80% APY.⁴ New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/2026. See full bonus and annual percentage yield (APY) terms at <a href="sofi.com/banking#1">sofi.com/banking#1</a>. SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Only SoFi Plus members are eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of Jan. 24, 2025. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at <a href="http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet">http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet</a>. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at <a href="https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus">https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus</a>.

This is one of the top accounts we’ve seen, and offers like this can be rare. You work hard, and now it’s time to make your money work for you — with SoFi, you can grow your money with hardly any effort!

SoFi has no account or overdraft fees⁵ Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with direct deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A.  The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the "Start Date" and "End Date" set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the "30-Day Evaluation Period"). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY.  Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage. and additional FDIC insurance up to $2 million on deposits is available through a seamless network of participating banks.⁶ We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at <a href="http://sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/">sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/</a> ⁷ SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $2M through participation in the program. See full terms at <a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/terms">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/terms</a> See list of participating banks at <a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks</a> Plus, you can receive your paycheck up to 2 days early.⁸ Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.

How to earn up to $300: Sign up and make a direct deposit within the first 25 calendar days of the promotional period, then collect a $300 cash bonus with a direct deposit of $5,000 or more.

SoFi is a Member, FDIC. ⁷ SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $2M through participation in the program. See full terms at <a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/terms">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/terms</a> See list of participating banks at <a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/receivingbanks</a>

Open your SoFi account and set up direct deposit

Airline miles

Don’t let hard-earned frequent flyer miles go to waste: Those air miles you’ve accumulated could be a meaningful gift for loved ones.

As with other loyalty programs, not all airlines allow air miles to be transferred upon death. However, others —like American Airlines — may permit transfers under limited circumstances if the air miles are specifically bequeathed to an individual in your will.

Look up your airline’s policy to see what’s permitted and which documents are required.

Bottom line

Thoughtful planning can protect your wishes and bring comfort to loved ones. Chances are good that you want to protect your wealth and pass it on to future generations.

But you shouldn’t stop there.

Consider leaving behind a personal letter or video message to share your values and stories as a final gift that transcends material possessions. Also think about adding some of the things on this list to your will.

More from FinanceBuzz:

Invest in Paintings by Basquiat, Picasso, Banksy

Masterworks Benefits

Invest in art like a millionaire for a relatively low cost
Art investments have outperformed the S&P 500 by over 131% for 26 years
Purchase shares of artwork by top artists
Hedge against inflation and diversify your portfolio

Visit Masterworks