FinalFile — Product Specification¶
Status: Planned (Build after WitnessVault) Priority: P1 — Largest market opportunity in End-of-Life stack
Overview¶
FinalFile is a digital estate vault with executor management. It helps people organize their digital life and ensure their loved ones can access what they need after death.
Target Users¶
- Adults planning their digital estate
- People with complex digital lives (multiple accounts, crypto, digital assets)
- Parents wanting to leave organized information for children
- Anyone who's thought "what happens to my stuff when I die?"
Core Value Proposition¶
"Your digital life, organized for the people you leave behind."
User Stories¶
Estate Organization¶
As someone with dozens of online accounts,
I want to document where everything is and how to access it,
So that my executor doesn't spend months hunting for information.
As a crypto holder,
I want to securely store my wallet information,
So that my family can actually access my assets.
As a parent,
I want to write letters to my children,
So that they receive my words even after I'm gone.
Executor Experience¶
As an executor,
I want clear instructions on what to do,
So that I can fulfill my role without being overwhelmed.
As an executor,
I want legal documentation of my authority,
So that institutions accept my requests to close accounts.
Features¶
MVP (Phase 3)¶
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Document Vault | Store estate documents (wills, deeds, insurance) | P0 |
| Account Registry | List accounts with access instructions | P0 |
| Executor Management | Designate and onboard executor | P0 |
| Death Verification Trigger | Release vault after death confirmed | P0 |
| Legacy Letters | Write letters released after death | P0 |
| Checklists | Guided workflows for executors | P0 |
V1¶
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary Assignment | Different documents to different people | P1 |
| Account Closure Templates | Pre-written letters for closing accounts | P1 |
| Digital Asset Instructions | Specific workflows for crypto, NFTs | P1 |
| Family Tree | Visual representation of who gets what | P1 |
| Annual Review Reminders | Prompt to update estate plan | P1 |
V2¶
| Feature | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney Integration | Share vault with estate attorney | P2 |
| Notarization Hooks | Integration with online notary services | P2 |
| Institution API | Direct account closure requests | P2 |
| Memorial Planning | Funeral preferences, obituary draft | P2 |
Encryption Model¶
Default: Class B (Escrowable)¶
FinalFile content is Class B by default: - User encrypts with their password - Keys escrowed for executor access - Released during death verification trigger
Why Not Class C?¶
For estate documents, the user WANTS the executor to access content: - The point is to give access after death - Zero-knowledge would require pre-sharing keys with executor - That's less convenient and more error-prone
User Override¶
Users can choose Class C for specific documents if desired: - Will be included in vault but executor can't decrypt without pre-shared key - Useful for: "only open if X happens" scenarios
Death Verification Flow¶
Process Recording (Not Truth Assertion)¶
FinalFile uses the death verification trigger type:
1. Executor claims user has died
Record: "Executor [id] initiated death claim at [timestamp]"
2. Executor uploads death certificate
Record: "Document [id] uploaded by [executor_id] at [timestamp]"
3. Secondary confirmation (if configured)
Record: "Secondary [contact_id] confirmed at [timestamp]"
4. Mandatory delay (7 days default)
Record: "Mandatory delay started, ends [timestamp]"
User notified via all channels (in case they're alive)
5. Challenge window (14 days)
Anyone can challenge the death claim
User can authenticate to abort
6. Release
Record: "Release executed at [timestamp] per death_verification process"
Executor receives access
Beneficiaries receive assigned documents
Fail Open Philosophy¶
FinalFile should fail OPEN (within reason): - If user is truly dead, family needs access - False lockout is cruel to grieving families - Better to release to verified executor than to lock everyone out
But with safeguards: - Mandatory delay prevents impulsive/fraudulent claims - User notification gives alive users chance to abort - Challenge window provides additional safety
UI Flow¶
1. Getting Started¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Welcome to FinalFile │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Let's organize your digital life for the people who matter. │
│ │
│ This will take about 30 minutes to set up, │
│ though you can save and return anytime. │
│ │
│ We'll help you: │
│ │
│ ☐ Choose an executor (the person who handles your affairs) │
│ ☐ Document your accounts (banks, email, social media) │
│ ☐ Upload important documents (will, insurance, deeds) │
│ ☐ Write letters to loved ones (optional but meaningful) │
│ │
│ Everything is encrypted. Only you and your executor can access it.│
│ │
│ [Get Started] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
2. Executor Setup¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Choose Your Executor │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Your executor is the person who will handle your digital affairs │
│ after you're gone. Choose someone you trust completely. │
│ │
│ Name: [John Smith ] │
│ Relationship: [Brother ▼] │
│ Email: [john.smith@email.com ] │
│ Phone: [+1-555-123-4567 ] │
│ │
│ ☑ Send invitation email now │
│ │
│ Your executor will receive: │
│ • An invitation to create their FinalFile account │
│ • Information about their role (but not vault contents yet) │
│ • Instructions on what to do if something happens to you │
│ │
│ [Back] [Continue] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
3. Account Registry¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Document Your Accounts │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ List the accounts your executor needs to know about. │
│ Don't worry about getting everything now — you can add more later.│
│ │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ 🏦 Bank of America (Checking) │ │
│ │ Action: Close and transfer to estate │ │
│ │ Notes: Main checking account │ │
│ │ [Edit] │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ 📧 Gmail (personal) │ │
│ │ Action: Download archive, then close │ │
│ │ Notes: Has 2FA, backup codes in vault │ │
│ │ [Edit] │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ₿ Coinbase │ │
│ │ Action: Transfer to [beneficiary] │ │
│ │ Notes: ~$50K in BTC, seed phrase in vault │ │
│ │ [Edit] │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ [+ Add Account] │
│ │
│ Common accounts: [Bank] [Email] [Social Media] [Crypto] │
│ [Subscriptions] [Utilities] [Other] │
│ │
│ [Back] [Continue] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
4. Legacy Letters¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Write Letters to Your Loved Ones │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ This is optional, but many people find it meaningful. │
│ These letters are delivered after your death to specific people. │
│ │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ 💌 Letter to Sarah (Daughter) │ │
│ │ "My dearest Sarah, If you're reading this..." │ │
│ │ Last edited: 2 months ago │ │
│ │ [Edit] [Preview] │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ 💌 Letter to Michael (Son) │ │
│ │ "Michael, I want you to know how proud I am..." │ │
│ │ Last edited: 2 months ago │ │
│ │ [Edit] [Preview] │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ [+ Write New Letter] │
│ │
│ Templates: [To my children] [To my spouse] [To my parents] │
│ [To a friend] [General letter] [Start blank] │
│ │
│ [Back] [Continue] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Executor Experience¶
Executor Invitation¶
Subject: [User Name] has named you as their digital executor
Hi John,
[User Name] has chosen you as the person to handle their digital
affairs if something happens to them.
This is a significant responsibility that shows how much they trust you.
What this means:
• If [User Name] passes away, you'll receive access to their FinalFile vault
• This includes important documents, account information, and instructions
• You'll have checklists to guide you through the process
What you need to do now:
• Create your FinalFile account (free for executors)
• Review the executor guide so you know what to expect
• Confirm you're willing to serve in this role
[Accept Executor Role]
Questions? Reply to this email or visit our executor FAQ.
Executor Dashboard (After Death Verification)¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Executor Dashboard — [User Name]'s Estate │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Status: Access Granted │
│ Death verified: December 10, 2025 │
│ Your role: Primary Executor │
│ │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ │
│ GETTING STARTED │
│ ☐ Review estate overview │
│ ☐ Download important documents │
│ ☐ Contact attorney (if applicable) │
│ ☐ Begin account notifications │
│ │
│ ACCOUNTS TO CLOSE (12) │
│ ☐ Bank of America — Checking │
│ ☐ Bank of America — Savings │
│ ☐ Gmail — personal@gmail.com │
│ ☐ Facebook — [profile link] │
│ ... [View All] │
│ │
│ DOCUMENTS │
│ 📄 Last Will and Testament [Download] │
│ 📄 Life Insurance Policy [Download] │
│ 📄 Property Deed [Download] │
│ 📄 Letter to Executor [Read] │
│ │
│ LETTERS TO DELIVER │
│ 💌 Letter to Sarah (daughter) — sarah@email.com [Send Now] │
│ 💌 Letter to Michael (son) — michael@email.com [Send Now] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Pricing¶
| Tier | Storage | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 100 MB | Basic vault, 1 executor, 5 accounts | $0 |
| Individual | 5 GB | Unlimited accounts, legacy letters, 2 executors | $9/mo |
| Family | 25 GB | + Family sharing, beneficiary management | $19/mo |
| Premium | 100 GB | + Attorney sharing, document generation, priority support | $39/mo |
Relationship to WitnessVault¶
FinalFile consumes WitnessVault, it doesn't extend it.
| WitnessVault | FinalFile |
|---|---|
| Dead man's switch trigger | Death verification trigger |
| Evidence protection | Estate organization |
| Fail closed | Fail open |
| Class C default | Class B default |
| Adversarial users | Family-focused users |
Shared infrastructure: - Encryption Service - Trigger Engine - Notification Service - Audit Logger
FinalFile-specific: - Death verification flow - Account registry - Legacy letters - Executor onboarding - Beneficiary management
FinalFile is the highest-market-potential product. It serves a universal need (everyone dies) with a clear value proposition.