Frequently Asked Questions

Successionly helps you leave clear instructions for the people you love, in case you die or can't speak for yourself.

You record where things are and who to contact: your will, bank, pensions, insurance, password manager, funeral wishes and anything else your family would need to find. For each record, you choose which of your trusted contacts can see it now, later (when you're gone or stop checking in), or never.

If something happens, they get your instructions and a step-by-step guide to what to do next. It's a map, not a vault: we never hold your passwords, account numbers or documents.

We've designed Successionly so there's very little worth stealing.

• We never hold passwords, PINs, account numbers, card numbers or copies of your documents. Successionly refuses anything that looks like one.
• We don't even ask for your home address. So a note like "the documents are in the living room cabinet, top drawer" means everything to your nearest and dearest, and nothing to anyone else.
• Your records are stored on Cloudflare's network and encrypted in transit and at rest.
• Our admin tools are deliberately built so they can't show your records, trusted contacts or messages.
• Only the people you choose see your records, and only when you decide: now, later, or never.
• Video and voice messages are private and can only be played by you and the people you choose.

We're adding two-factor sign-in before Successionly opens to the public.

A password manager is an app that keeps all your passwords safe behind one main password (or your face or fingerprint). It remembers them for you, fills them in when you sign in, and creates strong new ones.

Popular ones include 1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane, Keeper, Apple Passwords and Google Password Manager.

Why it matters here: instead of writing passwords down, add your password managers to Successionly's Security section, and set up its emergency access feature (for example Bitwarden Emergency Access, 1Password's Emergency Kit, Apple's Legacy Contact or Google's Inactive Account Manager). Then the people you trust will know exactly where to go, and nobody's passwords are ever stored with us.

This is one of the most common ways families get locked out, and it's easy to prevent.

Many apps, and often your password manager too, ask for a code from your phone when you sign in. If nobody can open your phone, nobody can get the code, so nobody can get into anything else.

Successionly's Security section helps you record each link in that chain: your phones and where their passcodes are written down, your authenticator app and where its printed backup codes are, and your password managers. Say what each one needs to get in, and we'll warn you if anything is locked in a loop, such as a password manager that needs a code from a phone whose passcode is in that password manager.

Your Successionly Report has a section to fill in by hand after you print it: passcodes, backup codes and recovery details. Keep the printed copy somewhere safe and tell us only where it is. We never see what's written on it, and we don't recommend storing details like these in any digital or online service.

And your contacts' step-by-step guide tells them what not to do: don't cancel the phone contract or wipe the phone, and unlock things in the right order.

Your family won't lose what you left them because a card was cancelled.

If your payments stop without you cancelling, we don't delete anything straight away:
- We keep everything for 90 days.
- If we haven't heard from you, we email your trusted contacts so they can ask for access.
- Nothing is deleted while a trusted contact has asked for access or been given it, or while one of our check-ins is unanswered.

Only if nobody acts within those 90 days does the account move to the free plan, which keeps one record and one trusted contact.

If you cancel your subscription yourself, it's different: you have 90 days to choose the one record and one trusted contact to keep, and we don't contact your trusted contacts.

No. Successionly isn't a legal document and doesn't replace a will or power of attorney. It tells the right people where your will is, who your solicitor is, and everything else they'll need to find.

Two ways. A trusted contact can ask for access: we email you straight away, and if you don't respond within the time you've chosen, access is released. And if you like, we'll check in with you as regularly as you wish: if you don't answer, your contacts get access. Signing in counts as checking in.

You get an email and decline with one click. Nothing is released while you're answering.

You do, record by record: Now, Later (when you're gone or stop checking in) or Never. Your executor might see everything; a friend might only get the message you left them.

Yes, with a subscription. Record video messages up to 3 minutes and voice messages up to 10 minutes, straight from your phone or computer. Only the people you choose can play them.

Anyone can use Successionly. The step-by-step guidance your contacts get is written for the UK, Ireland, Canada and the United States.