Terms of Service

Last updated: September 2026 · Applies to thegoodbyevault.com, thenominee.org, and the "The Goodbye Vault" apps

1. The service

The Goodbye Vault ("the Service") lets you store encrypted records and designate nominees — individuals, organisations, or institutions — who receive those records if you stop checking in. By creating an account you accept these terms.

2. Your responsibilities

• Master password. Your records are encrypted with a key derived from your password on your device. If you lose it, your data is unrecoverable — by us and by anyone. We cannot reset, recover, or bypass it.
• Accurate nominees. You are responsible for keeping nominee email addresses correct and current, and for having the authority to share the records you store with them.
• Lawful content. You may not use the Service to store or transmit content that is illegal under applicable law.
• Account security. Keep your credentials and devices secure. Activity under your account is treated as performed by you.

3. How release works

• If you miss your weekly check-in, we email a reminder to your account address.
• If you still do not check in within the grace period (currently 7 days), records are released: each nominee receives an email with a unique link giving access to the records assigned to them.
• Any login or authenticated app activity resets the timer before release. Release is irreversible once sent.
• Email delivery depends on third-party mail networks. While we monitor delivery, we cannot guarantee that any individual email reaches its recipient.

4. Availability

We aim for high availability but provide the Service "as is". We may perform maintenance, updates, or suspend the Service for security reasons. Because the Service's purpose includes time-critical delivery, you should not rely on it as your only means of preserving or transmitting critical information.

5. Not legal, financial, or estate advice

The Service is a technical delivery mechanism. It does not create a will, trust, or any legally binding disposition of assets, and it is not a substitute for professional estate planning. Delivery of information to a nominee does not by itself confer legal rights to assets described in that information.

6. What we can and cannot do with your data

We store only encrypted records and wrapped keys. We cannot read, modify, or recover your record content. You may delete records or your account at any time; deletion is permanent because we hold no unencrypted copies. See the Privacy Policy for details.

7. Acceptable use

You must not: attempt to breach or probe the Service; interfere with other users' vaults; use the Service to harass or harm; or automate access except through documented API use. We may suspend accounts that violate these terms.

8. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for indirect or consequential damages, including loss of data resulting from forgotten passwords, nominee email addresses that are wrong or unreachable, or missed deliveries. Our aggregate liability is limited to the fees you paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim (or the equivalent of one year of service if the Service was free to you).

9. Changes to the service or terms

We may update these terms; material changes will be announced by email before taking effect. Continuing to use the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

10. Termination

You may stop using the Service and delete your account at any time. We may terminate accounts for breach of these terms. On termination, your encrypted records and nominee links are deleted.

11. Contact

Questions about these terms: legal@thenominee.org