I don’t plan on doing this, its just an question I’ve been pondering over for a while.
If a person wanted to get a letter to friends/family after their death how would they do it?
A letter with “open after my death” wouldn’t work, there is a good possibility that someone would open it before.
A hidden letter probably wouldn’t work, there is the possibility that someone might find it beforehand and also there is the problem of nobody ever finding it.
A letter locked in a safe probably wouldn’t work because of both of the reasons above.
What about something like a safe deposit box? Would there be a problem with recurring fees?
Anyway, this is just one of those “in theory” questions I’ve been thinking about.
There are people who do this. Terminally ill people get paid to memorize letters, and when they die, repeat if they can it to the recipients. Just shows you kooks are everywhere.
Not too long ago, I was going through the hundred-year old private papers of a county judge at a state archives.
Included among them were sealed envelopes, a couple of which were still unopened. One (which was already opened) looked like it was an amendment to someone’s will. It just listed the guy’s name and a woman’s name and how much was to be given to her. I’m guessing it must have been some guy’s daughter or mistress. It was witnessed by the judge and by a clerk of the Court.
I don’t see why things should have changed since then. You might be able to approach your local judge and ask him or her to hold an “in case of” document for safekeeping. Just keep in mind that your document will have to be very instructive, and if it’s legally binding you’d probably better get it witnessed, notarized, and sealed.