Legal

Executor Verification Policy

Last updated: July 14, 2026

This Policy explains how DoneAfter verifies life events (such as death or incapacity) and other triggers before releasing sensitive information. Our goal is to prevent premature, mistaken, or fraudulent release while still helping families and executors obtain what they are authorized to receive.

1. Purpose and principles

  • Permission first: Release follows the user’s configured roles, permissions, and release rules.
  • Proof: Sensitive release generally requires evidence and human review.
  • Staged release: Not everything must be released at once; levels may include emergency-only, limited family, business, or full verified access.
  • Auditability: Trigger requests, evidence handling, decisions, and releases are logged.
  • No auto-dump: A missed check-in alone never releases the vault.

2. Who may submit a trigger

Only trusted contacts the account holder designated with permission to submit a trigger (or equivalent role permissions) may start a verification request through the Service. Unauthorized third parties cannot initiate a release by emailing support alone without an authorized pathway and evidence.

Submitting a request does not guarantee approval or any particular release level.

3. Trigger types

Depending on product configuration, triggers may include death, incapacity, other verified life events, or user-defined event confirmations. Scheduled non-death deliveries (for example, a future birthday letter the user explicitly set not to require death verification) follow the Mail Fulfillment Policy and the user’s release rules, and are not the same as a full after-death vault release.

4. Evidence we may require

Reviewers may request one or more of the following, as appropriate to the trigger and risk:

  • Death certificate or official vital-records document
  • Obituary, funeral-home, or memorial confirmation
  • Attorney letter, court order, or letters testamentary / probate documentation
  • Physician letter, POA documentation, or other incapacity evidence
  • Government-issued ID matching the trusted contact
  • Additional trusted-contact attestations or multi-party approvals required by the user’s rules
  • Other evidence reasonably necessary to assess authenticity

Evidence may be stored securely, access-controlled, and audit-logged. Providing evidence does not transfer ownership of that file beyond what is needed to operate verification.

5. Waiting periods and user notice

Where configured, a waiting period applies before sensitive release. When possible, we notify the account holder so a living user can cancel a mistaken or fraudulent request. Additional contacts may be notified based on the user’s rules. During waiting periods, users or authorized parties may supply clarifying information.

6. Review outcomes

After review, DoneAfter may:

  • Approve a staged release level consistent with rules and evidence
  • Request more evidence
  • Require additional approvals
  • Reject or close the request
  • Escalate for dispute handling

Approved releases create access through secure, expiring mechanisms for designated recipients — not by emailing sensitive document bodies inline.

7. Approvals and multi-party rules

If the user’s release rules require one- or two-person approvals (or attorney involvement), those votes must be completed by authorized contacts before the corresponding items release. Approval integrity is enforced in product workflows and logged.

8. Fraud, misuse, and disputes

False evidence, impersonation, or attempts to coerce release are serious violations of the Acceptable Use Policy and may be reported to law enforcement. If competing claims arise (for example, conflicting family members), we may pause releases, request court or attorney documentation, and retain records as needed.

DoneAfter is not a court and does not adjudicate estate disputes. We may decline to release contested materials until presented with satisfactory legal direction.

9. Role of DoneAfter staff

Staff reviewers evaluate completeness and consistency of evidence against configured rules. They are not your attorneys. Privileged viewing of private content for verification is restricted, justified, and audit-logged per the Security Policy.

10. Limitations

No verification process can eliminate all fraud risk. Forged documents and social engineering exist in the real world. Users should choose contacts carefully, enable multi-party approvals for sensitive items, and keep professional counsel involved for high-stakes estates.

11. Contact

Questions about an active verification or dispute: open a ticket via Contact or Support.