> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://solana-unchained.gitbook.io/whitepaper/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://solana-unchained.gitbook.io/whitepaper/why-this-exists/real-world-services/inheritance-protocol.md).

# Inheritance Protocol

**Problem:**\
When a crypto holder dies or becomes permanently incapacitated, their assets are often lost forever. There is no standardized, trustless mechanism to transfer ownership to heirs without a centralized custodian or a will (which is often ignored by blockchain networks).

**Solution:**\
A smart contract that allows a user to designate beneficiaries and a waiting period. If no on‑chain activity (any transaction signed by the user) occurs for the waiting period, the contract automatically transfers the user’s assets to the beneficiaries.

**Mechanics:**

* Setup – The user calls setInheritancePlan(beneficiary\_addresses, shares, waiting\_period). The contract records a timestamp of the last activity.
* Heartbeat – Any transaction from the user automatically updates the lastActive timestamp. Users can also send a zero‑value “heartbeat” transaction at no cost (beyond gas).
* Inheritance trigger – After the waiting period expires (e.g., 1 year without a single transaction), anyone can call claim Inheritance. The contract transfers the user’s token balance (or a portion thereof) to the beneficiaries according to the predefined shares.
* Revocation – The user can change or revoke the inheritance plan at any time by signing a new transaction.

**Advanced features:**

* Delayed distribution – Beneficiaries receive funds only after a secondary waiting period (e.g., 30 days) to allow the original user to reappear and contest.
* Conditional inheritance – Funds can be released only if a trusted oracle confirms the user’s death (e.g., via a government‑issued death certificate NFT). This is optional and requires explicit user consent.
* Privacy – The contract stores only a hash of the inheritance plan; the actual plan is stored off‑chain and revealed only when needed.

**Integration for other dApps:**\
The Inheritance Protocol is a standalone contract that can be linked to any wallet. A dApp can offer an “Enable Inheritance” module, charging a small fee in SOLANA UNCHAINED tokens for setup and modifications. The protocol also emits events that dApps can listen to for compliance or notification purposes.


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