Trusted Contacts
The people who confirm you're gone - so your messages can go.
Posthumous delivery only works if someone trustworthy can confirm you've passed. Trusted contacts are the small group of people you name - family, lawyer, best friend - who verify your passing so we can release your scheduled messages. They never see what's inside.
- Name 2 to 5 trusted contacts per account
- Require multiple confirmations before any release
- Mandatory waiting period to prevent mistakes
- Contacts never see your message contents
How Trusted Contacts Work
Designed to release your messages only when it's truly time - and never by accident.
You name 2 to 5 trusted contacts
Pick people you'd actually want handling this - a sibling, spouse, attorney, lifelong friend. Each contact verifies their identity and accepts the role.
You set the quorum
Decide how many contacts have to agree before posthumous messages release - 2 of 3, 3 of 5, whatever you choose. A single person can never trigger release on their own.
If something happens, contacts submit notice
Each contact files a notice through their dashboard and uploads supporting documentation (death certificate, obituary, or formal letter). We verify each submission independently.
The waiting period begins
Once the quorum is reached, a mandatory 14-day waiting period starts. During this window we try to contact you directly through every channel on file. If you respond, everything halts immediately.
Posthumous messages release on schedule
After the waiting period, your posthumous messages begin delivering on whatever schedule you set - some immediately, some on milestone dates, some years from now.
Identity Verification
Every trusted contact verifies their identity with government-issued ID before they can be activated. No anonymous nominees.
Multi-Person Quorum
Require 2, 3, or more contacts to independently agree before anything releases. No single person can ever trigger your messages.
14-Day Waiting Period
A built-in cooling period after notice is verified. If you're alive and reachable, the entire process halts and notifies you immediately.
Zero Content Access
Trusted contacts can verify your passing but cannot read, open, or download any of your scheduled messages or attachments. Ever.
Documentation Required
Notice submissions require supporting documentation - death certificate, obituary, or notarized letter from a licensed professional.
Direct Outreach To You
During the waiting period we email, text, and call every number on your account. A simple reply or login halts everything immediately.
Swap Contacts Anytime
Life changes. Add, remove, or replace trusted contacts whenever you need to - relationships, divorces, deaths, new attorneys, all handled in a few clicks.
Full Audit Trail
Every action a trusted contact takes - login, submission, document upload - is logged with timestamp and IP address. Available to you, your estate, or your attorney on request.
Fraud Protections
Repeated submissions, mismatched documentation, or unusual activity trigger manual review by our trust & safety team before anything moves forward.
Make sure the right people are ready - just in case.
Free to start. Add your trusted contacts in minutes.
Start Free See Posthumous DeliveryWhat Trusted Contacts Can Do
- Confirm that you have passed away
- Submit a death certificate or obituary
- See a list of your trusted contacts (names only)
- See whether your account is active or in transition
- Halt the release process if started in error
What Trusted Contacts Cannot Do
- Read or open any of your scheduled messages
- See your message recipient list
- Download attachments, photos, or recordings
- Trigger release on their own without quorum
- Modify or cancel your scheduled deliveries
Frequently Asked Questions
How many trusted contacts do I need?
At least two for posthumous delivery, up to five. We recommend three - large enough to be resilient if someone passes before you, small enough to coordinate.
What if a trusted contact tries to release my messages while I'm alive?
They can't - on their own. The quorum requires multiple independent confirmations. And the 14-day waiting period gives you direct outreach across every channel to halt anything started in error.
What if one of my contacts dies before me?
We monitor every contact's status. If a contact passes, becomes uncontactable, or goes inactive, we notify you and prompt you to nominate a replacement.
Do trusted contacts pay for WordsLater?
No. Being a trusted contact is always free. They get a simple dashboard to manage the role - nothing else.
Can my attorney be a trusted contact?
Yes - many people name their attorney, executor, or financial advisor as one of their trusted contacts. Professional documentation simplifies verification.
Can I remove a trusted contact later?
Anytime. Removing or replacing a contact takes a few clicks. Existing contacts are notified so there's no confusion if a notice is ever submitted.
What documentation counts as proof?
A government-issued death certificate is the standard. Published obituaries, hospital letters, or notarized statements from a licensed professional are also accepted pending verification.
Where does this fit in the bigger picture?
Trusted contacts are the verification step inside posthumous delivery. See how posthumous delivery works for the full process from notice to release.
