Legal · Updated August 28, 2025
Last will and testament
Where the original is: With David Choi, Esq. Named agent: David Choi
Help families
prepare for
what comes next.
Family preparation software for wealth-management firms. Documents, trusted contacts and practical instructions, connected in one place.
Preparing for your own family? Start hereThe Chen family
Encrypted in your browser
Net worth across 10 accounts
$276,050
- Last Will and TestamentWill · updated Sep 21, 2026
- Oakland homeJointly owned with Marcus Chen · $512,000$512,000
- Vanguard — taxable brokerageAs of Oct 20, 2026 · $41,280$41,280
- Family term lifeInsurance · updated Oct 20, 2026
- Beneficiaries3 of 7 accounts have no heir recorded
- For Marcus, when the day comesSealed until handover · goes to Marcus
GuardKin sees what kind it is and when it changed. Not its title. Not what is inside.
What matters. Where it is. Who to call.
Fictional family example
Who this is for
GuardKin reaches a family through its advisor.
You cannot open an account on your own. A wealth-management firm offers GuardKin to its clients, and each client’s advisor invites them in.
You want to prepare your own family.
Your advisor invites you to complete your account. If you do not have an advisor who offers GuardKin, tell us about your situation and we will point you the right way.
You advise families, or you run a firm.
Firms offer GuardKin to their clients. Ask for a demo to see what your advisors and their clients would use.
If someone has died and they had a GuardKin account, you can report a death. You do not need an account of your own. A member of our team reads every report.
The first day
What your family sees on the first day
After a death has been verified, the person you named signs in to their own GuardKin. These are the screens they meet, in order.
First, they are told what has happened
Nothing is open yet. They are told who named them and why they are there, and that accepting the role is their decision. They accept it in their own words, and that is recorded.
A GuardKin has been released to you
You’ve been named Sarah Chen’s executor.
Sarah Chen trusted you with this. Sarah Chen’s GuardKin has been released to you because a death was verified and the waiting period has passed. Nothing has been opened yet — that is your decision to make next.
What this means
An executor steps in after a death to settle the estate. The records released to you are the ones that were marked for an executor — not necessarily everything.
- Your role
- Executor
- Opened so far
- Nothing
The next step is to formally accept this role. You’ll be asked to write, in your own words, that you accept it. This is a one-time decision and it is recorded — both for Sarah Chen and for anyone who later reviews how the estate was handled.
Then they see what you released, and only that
While you are alive, flip a switch to see what Marcus would see. Nothing is released unless it is chosen.
A record’s title rests on the servers’ rule that only released records are listed; its contents rest on a key your device seals for that record alone. These switches show the choice. In the app, turning one on seals that key and each change goes in the audit log.
Handover
What stays sealed
Balances
Documents and letters
A letter goes to Marcus Chen, whoever it is addressed to.
People
People Marcus Chen may need to contact.
Always sealed
Never on your executor’s page.
- Anything you have not markedNo key is sealed for it, so there is no way to open it
After a loss
Sarah Chen’s GuardKin is open.
Sarah Chen trusted you with this. Take whatever time you need.
You’re here because Sarah Chen named you executor.
At a glance
Nothing has been released to you yet. If you expected records here, the firm that introduced you to GuardKin can confirm what was released.
5 records what Sarah left.
- Legal
- 1
- Financial
- 2
- Personal
- 2
Everything released to you
The records Sarah marked for you, and only those. Open any one for where to take it.
Legal
1 record- Last will and testament
Financial
2 records- Coinbase — self-custody wallet
- Fidelity Roth IRA
- Oakland home — mortgage
- Vanguard — taxable brokerage
- Wells Fargo — checking
Personal
2 records- David Choi
- Letter to Marcus
8 of the example’s 14 records are shown.8 of 14 records shown. Then they open a record
Each record opens on its own page, with a line on where to take it. An account shows where it is held, not what is in it.
Financial · Updated July 24, 2026
Oakland home — mortgage
Owed to: Wells Fargo
Financial · Updated October 20, 2026
Wells Fargo — checking
Held at: Wells Fargo
Sample household. Names and figures come from the app’s own demo vault, not a real client.
What the app holds
What is recorded, and what is still missing.
Keeping documents in one place is the easy part. The harder work is answering what a family has to settle in the first weeks: who inherits this, who to ring, what is still being charged. Four screens from the app.
Accounts
Everything they would have to go looking for.
10accounts and debts, each with who inherits it and who to call
Choose an account to see who inherits it, how it is titled, and who to call about it.
Look at a debt. On “Oakland home — mortgage” the app says “Not asked for a debt”. GuardKin does not count a debt as missing an heir.
Accounts
Your recorded accounts and assets, with current ownership and balance dates.
- Recorded assets · USD
- $605,350
- Recorded debts · USD
- $329,300
- Accounts to review
- 0 of 10
Entered balances, not live prices.
Accounts in this example vault. Choose one to see its details.
Assets · USD · 7
$605,350As of
Who inherits it
Jointly owned with Marcus Chen
Current ownership
Not recorded
How it is titled today. This is separate from who inherits it.
Document that covers it
No document recorded for this account.
Who to call
No contact recorded for this account.
As of
Who inherits it
Transfer-on-death / payable-on-death
Who receives it is not recorded here.
Current ownership
Not recorded
How it is titled today. This is separate from who inherits it.
Document that covers it
No document recorded for this account.
Who to call
advisor
Dana Okafor
As of
Who inherits it
No heir recorded
Current ownership
Not recorded
How it is titled today. This is separate from who inherits it.
Document that covers it
No document recorded for this account.
Who to call
No contact recorded for this account.
As of
Who inherits it
Named beneficiary: Marcus Chen
Current ownership
Not recorded
How it is titled today. This is separate from who inherits it.
Document that covers it
No document recorded for this account.
Who to call
No contact recorded for this account.
As of
Who inherits it
Named beneficiary: Marcus Chen
Current ownership
Not recorded
How it is titled today. This is separate from who inherits it.
Document that covers it
No document recorded for this account.
Who to call
No contact recorded for this account.
As of
Who inherits it
No heir recorded
Current ownership
Not recorded
How it is titled today. This is separate from who inherits it.
Document that covers it
No document recorded for this account.
Who to call
No contact recorded for this account.
As of
Who inherits it
No heir recorded
Current ownership
Not recorded
How it is titled today. This is separate from who inherits it.
Document that covers it
No document recorded for this account.
Who to call
No contact recorded for this account.
Debts · USD · 3
$329,300As of
Who inherits it
Not asked for a debt
GuardKin does not count a debt as missing an heir.
Current ownership
Not recorded
How it is titled today. This is separate from who inherits it.
Document that covers it
No document recorded for this account.
Who to call
No contact recorded for this account.
As of
Who inherits it
Not asked for a debt
GuardKin does not count a debt as missing an heir.
Current ownership
Not recorded
How it is titled today. This is separate from who inherits it.
Document that covers it
No document recorded for this account.
Who to call
No contact recorded for this account.
As of
Who inherits it
Not asked for a debt
GuardKin does not count a debt as missing an heir.
Current ownership
Not recorded
How it is titled today. This is separate from who inherits it.
Document that covers it
No document recorded for this account.
Who to call
No contact recorded for this account.
Every account, balance, and contact here is decrypted on this device — GuardKin never sees them.
Beneficiaries
Who inherits what, and where nobody is named.
3of 7
accounts have no heir recorded.
- 4 have an answer recorded
- 3 have none
- 3 are debts, which are not asked
Of the 4 that are answered, 2 name a beneficiary, 1 is jointly owned and 1 passes by transfer-on-death.
An answer on file is not a check. This is what you have told us, not a check with the institution.
Your estate
Beneficiaries
3 of 7 accounts have no heir answer recorded
- Named beneficiary
- 2
- Jointly owned
- 1
- TOD / POD
- 1
- Unassigned
- 3
- Worth checking
Who inherits each account, unassigned first Account Who inherits How Status Coinbase — self-custody wallet — not set Unassigned No answer Fidelity 401(k) — Studio Pottery LLC — not set Unassigned No answer Wells Fargo — checking — not set Unassigned No answer Fidelity Roth IRA Marcus Chen Named beneficiary Recorded Wells Fargo — high-yield savings Marcus Chen Named beneficiary Recorded Oakland home Marcus Chen Joint owner Recorded Vanguard — taxable brokerage — TOD / POD Recorded Computed on your device — GuardKin never sees your records.
Obligations
What keeps going out, and what stops coming in.
$1,996
a month short, once the income that stops has stopped and what can be cancelled is cancelled.
Social Security ($2,910 a month) stops. Fidelity pension ($1,760 a month) falls to 50%.
The 3 outgoings marked must not lapse come to $2,876 a month. The 1 marked cancel on death is $16 a month. A bill does not stop because someone died. Only cancelling it stops it, and somebody has to do that.
Obligations
- Monthly income today
- $4,670
- Monthly income after
- $880
- On the conservative reading — see below
- Monthly outgoing
- $2,892
- Survivor shortfall
- $1,996
After cancelling what you’ve marked cancellable, about $1,996 a month is still unaccounted for — roughly $21,956 across the 11 months an estate typically takes to settle.
Arithmetic on your own entries. Not tax advice, and it says nothing about what anyone may be entitled to.
Monthly lines, and what happens to each when the person dies What Per month At death Status Mortgage — Wells FargoOutgoing $2,480 Must not lapse Covered Term life — Example MutualOutgoing $184 Must not lapse Covered Social SecurityIncome $2,910 Stops Gap Fidelity pensionIncome $1,760 Reduces Gap PG&EOutgoing $212 Must not lapse Covered Streaming subscriptionOutgoing $16 Cancel on death Cancel Computed on your device from your encrypted records — GuardKin never sees an amount or a payee.
Documents
Every document, and where it is.
17records in 7 categories
Choose a category above the list to narrow it. Choose Letters to see where each one goes: sealed until handover, then to Marcus, the executor.
The app also searches by title, type or category and sorts by latest updated, document name and category. Both work on this device, over the titles already open on it.
A record whose title cannot be shown stays in the list as Untitled instead of dropping out. One the app cannot read at all is marked Needs a look.
Your estate
Documents
- Documents
- 17
- Legal
- 4
- Letters
- 2
- Access
- 5
17 of 17 documents
4 of 17 documents
2 of 17 documents
3 of 17 documents
5 of 17 documents
1 of 17 documents
1 of 17 documents
1 of 17 documents
Your documents, latest updated first Document Category Updated Family term life — Example Mutual Insurance Oct 20, 2026 David Choi — family attorney Contact Oct 19, 2026 1Password vault Digital Asset · Access Oct 11, 2026 Apple ID Digital Asset · Access Oct 11, 2026 For Eduardo — about the studio Personal Letter · Letters Sep 24, 2026 For Marcus, when the day comes Personal Letter · Letters Sep 24, 2026 What I want for the studio Instruction Sep 24, 2026 Last Will and Testament — 2024 revision Will · Legal Sep 21, 2026 Chen Family Living Trust Trust · Legal Sep 7, 2026 Durable Power of Attorney — financial Power of Attorney · Legal Sep 7, 2026 Funeral preferences Instruction Aug 23, 2026 Hazel (the cat) Instruction Aug 23, 2026 Healthcare directive + DNR Medical Directive · Legal Aug 23, 2026 Safe deposit box — Wells Fargo branch 0418 Other May 25, 2026 studiopottery.com — registrar + DNS Digital Asset · Access Apr 25, 2026 studiopottery.com email + admin Password · Access Apr 25, 2026 Untitled Password · Access Mar 16, 2026 - For Eduardo — about the studioSealed until handover · goes to Marcus
- For Marcus, when the day comesSealed until handover · goes to Marcus
Encrypted on this device before it ever reaches us — GuardKin never sees a title, a scan, or what any of these say.
Sample household. Names and figures come from the app’s own demo vault, not a real client.
What happens after a death.
Records put in order, a handover that waits before anything opens, and an executor who opens only what was released, in 27 seconds.
No sound. Sample household: names and records come from the app’s own demo vault, not a real client.
Read the film as text
GuardKin: what happens after a death
A 27-second silent film. It has no audio track. Everything it says is on screen and is written out below.
[0:00 to 0:04. Light ground. A real screen from the GuardKin app, with sample data: a list of documents, including a family term life policy, the family attorney's contact, a password manager, an Apple ID, and a letter for Marcus. Then a card from the same app: "Anything you have not marked. No key is sealed for it, so there is no way to open it." and "Master Password and Secret Key. Nobody gets these, GuardKin included."]
Sarah kept her records in one place.
GuardKin cannot read them.
[0:05 to 0:10. The Handover page of the app, sample data. A list of ten balances and the heading "0 of 10 balances released". Every row says "Not released" and has a switch that is off. A blue outline marks "0 of 10 balances released".]
She chose what her executor may open.
Nothing is released unless she chooses.
[0:10 to 0:20. Dark blue. A white sheet headed "After a death" lists four steps. Then the number 72 with the word "hours", and 72 small marks fill in one by one, the last taller than the rest.]
After a death:
1. A death certificate is on file.
2. GuardKin confirms who it was.
3. The advisor signs off. Then the firm.
4. Final approval.
72 hours. Nothing opens until then.
[0:20 to 0:24. Light ground. A card reads "Write, in your own words, that you accept this role." and a line is written in it: "I accept this role, for Sarah." Marked "Example wording".]
Marcus signs in to his own GuardKin and accepts the role.
[0:24 to 0:27. The executor's view, sample data: a record titled "Last will and testament" with "Where the original is: With David Choi, Esq." and "Where to take this: Take this to the attorney named on the original instrument. The bank may also accept a certified copy."]
He opens only what Sarah released.
Notes for the reader
- Sarah and Marcus are the sample household built into the app's demo mode. They are not real people.
- The film is about a death. Handover for incapacity is not available, and the film does not mention it.
- The film does not say the executor is told when a death is reported. GuardKin does not send the executor a message; the owner has to have told them.
Nothing opens on one person's word: two sign-offs and 72 hours come first. Read the four steps
One saved item.
Four different views.
Saved vault content is encrypted in the browser before it is sent. The key is made on the owner’s device from their Master Password and their Secret Key, and GuardKin never receives either, so its servers hold ciphertext rather than the content. Account and operational information are handled separately. Switch who is looking to see what each can open.
Family · Holds the content key
Fidelity Roth IRA
Preparing the sample item…
Sample household. Names and figures come from the app’s own demo vault, not a real client.
No SOC 2 report yet.
No auditor is engaged and no observation period has started, so there is no date to give. The current status is kept in the Trust Center.
A contact is not a permission.
Adding an attorney, advisor or family member does not automatically give them access.
What this rests on.
The locking runs in software that GuardKin delivers to your browser. You are relying on that software to do what is described here.
Cryptographic primitives
- AES-256-GCM
- X25519
- Argon2id
- ECDSA P-256
What GuardKin does not do
The limits, written down
Most of this page says what GuardKin does. These are the things it does not do, so that nobody finds them out on the worst day.
GuardKin cannot reset your Master Password or your Secret Key.
GuardKin does not send your executor a message.
A handover opens for a death only.
A copy kept in GuardKin has no legal authority.
A handover cannot open without an advisor of record.
Make preparation part
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