A Cloud-based Estate Portfolio Solution

Estatory.com is a Portal dedicated to preparing personal or family information for estate planning purposes.

The Portal effectively organizes your information so you are ready as life happens during a travel emergency, time of crisis or tragic event.
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What is a Personal estate?

Information pertaining to a single individual that is formulated into an estate plan. A personal estate can grow into a family estate.

What is a Family estate?

Information pertaining to multiple individuals with a mix of personal and common assets they want integrated into a common estate plan. A Family estate can evolve into personal estates when changes in family or life circumstances occur.

Exclusive to your Estatory Portal, Distribution Modeling, is a dynamic planning tool designed to show you how your estate assets will be distributed under varying circumstances.

Knowing that your plan and contingencies result as expected will improve your confidence that your executor can deliver on your wishes and your beneficiaries will receive what you intend.
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What is Distribution Modelling?

The Portal's modeling feature formulates an Estate Distribution Schedule. Your schedule represents the most current plans for how all assets in your estate inventory are grouped for use (eg: pay estate bills, taxes, etc) and/or disbursement to your beneficiaries.

One of Modeling’s most powerful features is the ability to run “What-if” scenarios. Various scenarios (eg: beneficiary pre-deceases you, asset removed from your inventory, value of an asset increases or decreases significantly, etc) will simulate the impact to your overall plan and specifically for your beneficiaries.

What is an Estate Distribution Schedule?

This schedule serves to outline the allocation of assets to beneficiaries.

Why is an Estate Distribution Schedule Important?

• To see the "big picture" of how all assets are grouped and planned for distribution including the return of assets in your possession that are owned by others
• To show inter-dependencies of your wishes to gift an asset and which assets are going to be used to used to pay bills, taxes, probate, etc
• To validate the directives and contingencies of your estate distribution plan
• To validate that your wishes are ready for your executor

Wishes are more than simple topics and written words.

We understand the effort to prepare a Letter of Wishes is more difficult then ever. Wishes are more complicated due to the finances, information management, government taxation, volume of possessions, and the types of assets included in today’s portfolios. Estatory tames this task by breaking it into bite size pieces that are organized for you in a Dossier of Wishes.

Your Letter of Wishes can be comprehensive, achievable and maintainable.
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What is a Letter of Wishes?

A Letter of Wishes is a written, non-binding, document describing your preference for how certain matters should be treated once you have passed.

What are Wishes?

Wishes can include any topic important to you. Important wishes to consider include a plan for the distribution of assets, your preferences regarding care for children, pets, funeral arrangements.

Wishes also allow you to share personal sentiments, draft your own obituary, share passwords, address individual concerns, draft letters to be shared at future events (graduations, weddings, births, etc) or to provide reassurance to loved ones during an emotionally challenging time.

Wishes tend to fall into 3 groups:

1. Formal Wishes:

Wishes and supporting documents that seek to clarify, influence and guide your executor and/or loved ones on topics related to the administration of your affairs when you are no longer able (eg: accident, medical crisis, illness, disability, ailing health, incarceration or death).

Supporting documents can include a Last Will & Testament, power of attorney, healthcare representation, etc
These types of wishes normally require a supporting formal legal document that authorizes specific individuals tasked with the role.

2. Informal Wishes:

Wishes and supporting documents that provide guidance to loved ones and/or executor on topics related to your final arrangements and communications (eg: burial, celebrations, religious services, obituary, organ donation, pets, guardianship, etc)

3. Wishes for the distribution of assets:

Wishes and supporting information that provide guidance to loved ones and/or executor about the distribution of assets. This is a critical part of everyone's letter of wishes and should include information about any formal / legal arrangements for assets regardless of how they are to be distributed (eg: according to your Will by your executor or according to legal arrangement outside of the estate)

Estate planning is specific to your country and jurisdiction and can be more efficient if your wishes for the distribution of assets is captured and organized in advance

Why Prepare & Organize Wishes?

Preparing your wishes is essential to streamline the execution of your will. Instructions that are clear and comprehensive help your executor to efficiently fulfill their duties.

Preparing Wishes (for your Executor):

• Offers crucial guidance and clarifications that may not be included in your will
• Serves as a vital road-map for your executor about the distribution of your assets
• Ensures proper consideration for sentimental items
• Alleviates decision-making stress for loved ones during a difficult period
• Can be modified easily throughout your lifetime

An asset inventory is the cornerstone of your estate distribution plan.

The Portal guide simplifies the process using the 80/20 rule. 20% of the assets represent the bulk of your estate, and that's where you start. The remainder of your estate can be easily accounted for using the group asset feature.

All inventory information is captured using lists to reduce effort. Data is entered once, organized and available to be linked to other related topics, like a home insurance inventory, using the Portal’s Smart Inventory Features.
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What is Estate Inventory?

An inventory of all assets and liabilities to assist your executor when settling your estate.

Why create and maintain an Estate Inventory?

1. Foundation for a home insurance inventory:

Adding insurance relevant details to your estate assets reduces your time to create a comprehensive home insurance inventory. Your insurance inventory can help safeguard your assets, ensuring that more of your wealth ultimately goes to your intended heirs.

2. Basis for Estate Planning:

Having an advisor review your estate inventory can result in identifying assets that qualify for estate tax efficiencies

3. Simplification of the Estate Settlement:

By providing a clear and organized inventory of your assets, can help expedite the probate and tax filing processes. Your Inventory also helps your executor to determine asset ownership, where to locate and access the item as well as other important information, reducing delays and potential complications.

4. Reduction of disputes among beneficiaries:

An accurate record of your assets can clairify misunderstandings reduce disagreements among family members and beneficiaries. Knowing what is part of the estate, what is distributed outside the estate and what item are owned by third parties all ease tensions during this difficult time.

5. Peace of mind:

Having assurance that the executor can easily access all required information brings peace of mind. This is beneficial for you, the person organizing your estate, and the executor who has to fulfill their responsibilities during a challenging period.

During a travel emergency, time of crisis or tragedy, required information and documents can now be consolidated in your Estatory Portal, accessible by you and those you trust, from anywhere in the world via internet.

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Essential Lists include:

• Contacts & Beneficiaries »
• Documents »
• Keys & Passwords »
• Address & Locations »

Contacts & Beneficiaries

What is an essential Contact?

• They are a subset of the contacts list in your mobile device or physical directory
• They are individuals and/or organizations that can assist you or those you trust during a times of crisis, failing health, accident or death and to settle your estate

Why is it important to list essential Contacts?

• So they are segregated from the volume of contacts in your devices
• So they are organized in a central place with other information required by those that have agreed to support you
• So they are easily accessible if a device is lost, stolen, destroyed, or restricted by device security

What is a Beneficiary?

Individuals, organizations, charities that you are considering as a receiver of a bequest from your estate or who are already designated as such within:

• Current estate documents
• A life insurance policies
• A bank, investment or pension account agreement / ownership structure (eg: joint account with survivorship)

Why is it important to list Beneficiaries?

To segment these contacts for asset distribution planning and to reduce the time and effort for your executor to access beneficiary information

Documents

What is an essential document?

Essential documents are backup copies of important papers, certificates and certifications including:

• Estate documents (Powers or Attorney, Will, Health directives, etc)
• Papers to prove country of residence, citizenship or immigration
• ID’s required to access government services, pay taxes
• Evidence of personal/family status
• Visa’s or other papers that provide authority for travel to foreign countries

Why is it important to list essential documents?

• So you, your family or those you trust can access documents from a single location in a timely manner
• So original document locations are recorded in one place
• To protect and secure backup copies of your most critical documents
• To expedite document replacements (eg: originals lost, stolen, destroyed)
• To monitor expiry dates so documents remain current

Keys & Passwords

What are Essential Keys & Passwords?

These are security access methods required to open and/or gain access to account information, documents, files or assets.

Why is it important to list essential Keys & Passwords?

To organize, in a single location, all security access information for your loved ones and/or executor.

Access methods include:

• physical keys, fobs
• lock combinations
• passwords, passphrases

Address & Locations

What is an essential address?

A place/destination where assets and/or important paper documents are stored

Why is it important to list essential addresses?

To reduce the time for your loved ones and/or executor to determine the destination(s) where information, documents and/or assets are kept, stored or hidden

What is an essential location?

Directions to a specific place (room, area, object, etc) within an Address, where assets are stored or safe-guarded

Why is it important to list essential locations?

To reduce the time by your family and/or executor to locate information, documents and assets once they arrive at a destination address

Locations have separate information requirements in addition to the address:

• Work locations can be buildings within an address, floors within buildings etc
• Storage units are often secured by key locks or combinations that may be different than the locks or key required to access the address

Estatory follows a two part 'Zero Trust' security approach to limit access to information:

• Estatory operates the portal using account data only, secured by encryption
• Estate information within your account vault is secured by an additional layer of user-controlled encryption

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What is an Estatory Account?

A Portal encrypted repository were user information required to manage your account. (eg: registrations, cancelations, subscription processing, login security authentication, etc)

What is an Estatory Account Vault?

A user-encrypted repository within your account where estate information is managed. (eg: estate inventory, letter of wishes, essential lists, etc)

How is information secured?

Information is secured by Layered Encryption and Step Authentication:

• An end to end encrypted communication channel between your device and the Portal is automatically established by the server
• Once entering our portal through Login or Registration pages, interpage communication is encrypted and any modifictions to the url address bar are rejected.
• The Registration process requires authentication of a valid email address
• Access to your portal requires login with the authenticated email address and user managed password
• A second step of vault authentication is required to unlock the second layer of user controlled vault encryption which opens your vault dashboard.

Your portal is designed to make reporting easy and versatile for you and your trusted contacts. It efficiently manages estate information by using Smart Inventory Feature. With this feature, you enter data once, link it where needed, and generate dynamic reports for various purposes. For instance, a contact can be a family member, your doctor, a beneficiary, or a Trusted Contact. This ensures that you can report on a single contact from your Contact Register without the need to re-enter data.

The Portal is designed to extend information for various purposes. While the primary focus is on “Important Information” for estate preparation, it can include optional information, such as a home insurance inventory, which builds upon your existing work. Maintaining an up-to-date home insurance record will help you assess policy coverage, costs, and support claim defenses.

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What is an Trusted Contact?

This is an individual you trust with access to your private and confidential information required to support you in a time of crisis or tragedy:

• The trusted individual cannot edit or change your information
• You can change, suspend or rescind a Trusted Contact's authorization at any time as changes in relationships evolve (eg: divorce, death, incapacitation, moving regions, countries, etc)

What is a Home Insurance Inventory?

A listing of possessions with insurance relevant information that will support filing a police report and/or and insurance claim for assets lost, stolen, or destroyed in a disaster. Insurance relevant information includes proof of existence (pictures), Value (details, options, special characteristics along with receipts, appraisals, invoices, etc) and Ownership (title, registration, etc). This process is streamlined by using Estatory's Group Asset feature.

The Estatory Guide considers the needs of your executor in every step so you can better understand why and what information should be included and organized in your estate portal.

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What is an Executor?

An executor is an individual or entity appointed within a legal document (often within a Last Will & Testament) to carry out the wishes of a deceased person and to manage all the responsibilities required to settle their estate.

Why is it important to focus estate information for your executor?

Your executor is the quarterback, coach and manager of your estate after you pass. An executor also assumes authority to deal with your estate and the responsibility to ensure it is settled in accordance with local jurisdictional requirements. Providing them with the best, most current information possible will increase their ability to execute your wishes and conclude all tax, financial and legal obligations you leave behind.

What are some of the roles of an Executor?

1. Estate Administration:

The primary role of an executor is to administer the deceased person's estate. This involves gathering and managing assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing the remaining assets to the beneficiaries as outlined in the will and letter of wishes.

2. Legal Responsibilities:

The executor is legally responsible for ensuring that the deceased person's wishes, as specified in the will, are carried out. This includes adhering to any legal requirements and deadlines associated with the probate process.

3. Accountability:

The executor is accountable to the court and, ultimately, to the beneficiaries for their actions in administering the estate. This accountability helps ensure transparency and fairness in the distribution process. The executor is also tasked with safeguarding the deceased person's assets during the probate process. This may involve managing financial accounts, maintaining property, and taking steps to prevent loss or damage to the estate.

4. Resolution of Disputes:

If disputes arise among heirs or beneficiaries, the executor may play a crucial role in resolving these conflicts. Their objective is to ensure a fair and lawful distribution of the estate assets. An executor also helps facilitate the efficient and timely distribution of assets to beneficiaries. This involves following the legal process, which may include obtaining court approval, settling debts, and distributing assets in accordance with the will.

5. Peace of Mind for the Deceased:

Knowing that an executor is appointed to handle their affairs according to their wishes can provide peace of mind to the deceased person. It also helps minimize the potential for family disputes over the distribution of assets.

6. Continuity of Financial Management:

In cases where the deceased person had ongoing financial responsibilities, such as a business or investment portfolio, the executor can ensure the continuation of these activities until they are properly resolved or transferred.

The portal includes an extensive guide designed to tutor and tame the effort of preparing an estate.

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What is the Portal Guide?

The Portal Guide is a suggested approach that breaks down the topics, activities and tasks required to prepare an estate into manageable pieces.

The Guide sequences preparation of an estate into dossiers, activities, and Tasks with suggested approaches and detailed instructions to optimize your effort and to continually build upon previously entered information. This also reduces the learning curve of navigating the portal and using it features.

The guide uses a Question/Answers (Q/A) style to communicate and educate the importance of each dossier and the related activities. This allows you to decide if the activities apply to you, and if the tasks of each activity are important to complete for yourself, your family or executor.

How is the Portal Guide Organized?

The Guide is organized into three main sections:

1. Account Administration

• Guidance for managing your Portal profile, login security, subscription, etc

2. When you are a Trusted Contact

• Guidance for Trusted Contacts that need to access information to support you in the administration of your affairs or during a time of crisis or tragedy

3. Private Vault

• Guidance on how to prepare estate & personal planning information & documents

Estatory (estate "-ory") International Inc. is the software developer and provider of Estatory.com

In 2014, our team came together with a shared goal: to understand why preparing a "Letter of Wishes" can be so challenging and to find ways to simplify the task.

We discovered there are many types of "Wishes", they vary by person, but that every person needs wishes for the distribution of assets. Our research revealed that methods used to create an Estate Inventory and plan for the distribution of assets are highly manual and unsustainable. Additionally, the information needed for an effective Letter of Wishes is part of a larger portfolio of essential data, documents, and files that need to be organized for those that have agreed to support you in the administration of your affairs.

Ultimately, we concluded that a confidential, cost-effective software tool was necessary to streamline this task and ensure its sustainability. Estatory.com is our solution, designed as a platform to meet these needs.

An Estatory.com account includes a private digital vault for complete privacy and control over your information. Your personal data warehouse contains pre-defined inventories and registers that simplify data entry and updates. Estatory also offers a detailed guide on creating wishes, preparing a comprehensive plan for asset distribution, and organizing supporting documents and files into Dossiers of information ready to be shared with those you trust.