The heart of the packet is you
When people plan what their trustees should receive, they often start with logistics: accounts, documents, instructions. Those matter. But the things that are hardest to replace are usually more personal: a letter, a video, a story in someone's own words.
This guide puts those things at the center. A good release packet for your named trustees has three layers: what you want to say, what you want kept, and what you want done.
Layer 1: what you want to say (letters and videos)
- Letters to the people you love. A MemoryShield letter is plain text plus an optional file, such as a scan of a handwritten page.
- Videos you record in your browser or upload. Trustees can download released videos.
- A note for your trustees themselves, thanking them and telling them what you hope they'll do.
Prompts that help: what I love about you; what I hope for you; stories you might not remember; things I never said out loud.
Layer 2: what you want kept (photos and documents)
- Photos with names, places and dates, while you still remember them
- Family documents and keepsakes you've scanned
- Pointers to where originals live: the box in the closet, the folder at your lawyer's office
Layer 3: what you want done (wishes and instructions)
- Who to tell first
- Your wishes for social media profiles: memorialize, delete, or a final post
- Where your will is kept and who your executor is (not legal advice on what it says)
- Which accounts matter, by name only. Don't paste passwords into your packet; credentials change and go stale.
Different trustees, different items
You don't have to give everything to one person. Your partner might receive the letters to your children. A sibling might receive the family photos. A practical friend might receive the instructions. Each trustee receives only the items you designate.
Being named doesn't give anyone access now. Trustees see nothing while you keep answering your email life-check.
Here is what happens if you stop answering your email check-ins. Nothing is released because of one missed email. First there's extended monitoring: more check-ins, more time. Then your backup contact is notified; they can't see your vault. Then there's a waiting period. Only after all of that do your verified trustees receive the items you designated for them. MemoryShield doesn't certify death and has no death-certificate, legal or medical review step. Full walkthrough: How an email life-check and verification work before vault release.
Trustee checklist
- Choose for judgment and closeness, not technical skill.
- Invite them and confirm they accept. Naming without acceptance is incomplete.
- Tell them the packet exists. A short conversation is enough.
- Add a backup contact. They're notified during verification and can't see your vault.
- Review once a year, or after a birth, a move, or a loss.
More on choosing people: Who should receive your letters?. On legal roles: Executor vs digital trustee.
What a release packet isn't
| It is | It isn't |
|---|---|
| Letters, videos, photos and wishes you chose | A copy of every login |
| Released to named, verified trustees after verification | Shared access while you're alive and responding |
| Personal and practical | A will, or legal advice |
| Something you can update anytime | A death-certificate process (MemoryShield has none) |
A quiet note on security: your vault is encrypted at rest (AES-256), with escrowed keys so release can work after verification; not zero-knowledge. Item-level encryption is opt-in: you can turn it on for an item, and it's off unless you do. MemoryShield isn't a password manager or a will, and it can't open anyone's other accounts. How security works.
Education only, not legal advice.
Start on the Free plan ($0)
Start with one letter and one trustee. Add the photos and instructions over time. The Free plan holds five items, a good first packet.
Start on the Free plan ($0). No card required. The Free plan holds up to 5 items and 1 trustee. If you later want more room, Premium is $9.99/mo or $99/yr (up to 200 items and 5 trustees); paid plans have a 30-day trial and need a card or PayPal at checkout.
Security: https://memoryshield.life/security · Plans: https://memoryshield.life/public-pricing · Support: support@memoryshield.life