Scenario #09
THE INHERITANCE TEST
Legacy Access Protocol
This is a simulated scenario. In this simulation, you have passed away unexpectedly. You will now observe how your loved ones attempt to access your cryptocurrency holdings.
INHERITANCE STATUS: ACTIVE
Your family gathers in your home office three weeks after your simulated passing. Your spouse, adult child, and the family attorney are present. They've handled the immediate arrangements and are now addressing your digital assets.
"I know he had cryptocurrency," your spouse explains to the attorney. "He talked about it being a significant part of our retirement plan, but I don't know exactly how to access it."
Your adult child adds, "He was always very security-conscious. Said something about 'not your keys, not your coins' whenever I asked why he didn't just keep everything on an exchange."
Your Situation
You observe as they search through your belongings:
- Your computer (password protected)
- Your smartphone (biometrically locked)
- Your home office filing cabinet
- Your desk drawers and bookshelves
- A safe in your closet (combination unknown to them)
- Various USB drives and external storage devices
- Email accounts they cannot access
None of them has prior knowledge of cryptocurrency security practices or your specific setup.
Immediate Assessment
Inheritance Challenge: Knowledge Transfer
- What inheritance instructions did you leave for your family?
- How will they identify what cryptocurrency you owned?
- What methods did you create to pass on access information?
- How will they distinguish between important and irrelevant crypto artifacts?
- Did you implement any dead man's switches or time-locked protocols?
Complications
As your family attempts to piece together your crypto holdings:
- They find multiple hardware wallets but don't know what they are or how to use them
- They discover paper fragments that might be pieces of seed phrases
- Your child remembers you mentioned "cold storage" but doesn't understand the concept
- The attorney advises that crypto assets need to be declared for estate purposes, but they can't determine values
- They find a cryptic note with what appears to be a riddle or memory aid
Your Mission
Evaluate how effectively your loved ones can identify, access, and inherit your cryptocurrency holdings based solely on the preparations you made before your simulated passing.
Did you establish a clear inheritance plan that works without your guidance?
Your spouse finds a sealed envelope marked "In the event of my death" in your desk drawer. Inside is the first step of your inheritance plan.
INHERITANCE PROCESS: Initiated
What instructions will your loved ones find, and will they be sufficient?