Recovery drill checklist

After this, you should know whether the people you count on could follow your plan without you, and what would probably go wrong first.

Who are your five? (2 minutes)

Write down five people who could hold a share for you. They do not need to know each other. Any three of them, together, should be able to act.

If you cannot name five, stop here and write down why. That is the result of this drill, and it is worth more than the rest of the checklist.

Pick one thing (1 minute)

Choose one thing you cannot replace. Good choices:

• your main email
• your password manager
• a key, a wallet, or an archive
• the paperwork someone would need to act for you

Write down (no passwords):

• what it is
• why it matters, in one sentence

What does getting it back depend on?

Note what applies:

• your phone number
• your email
• an app that makes login codes
• a small USB security key
• backup codes
• paperwork stored offline

Do the recovery drill (15–30 minutes)

1. Which three of your five would act?

Pick three. If it always has to be the same three, you do not have five.

2. What is the first step?

If they had to start right now, what would they do first? For example: “Open the notes binder and follow the steps.”

3. How would they prove they are allowed to help?

For example: “Call back the number we agreed on.” Or: “Use attorney paperwork in a controlled meeting.”

4. Are the steps written down somewhere they can reach?

If the steps are only in your head, that is the problem.

5. Pick one “what if” and talk through it

Choose one: one of the five cannot be reached, the phone is lost, the password manager is locked. Then ask: what would we do next?

Stop if

• you feel pushed to share a password or code
• the only way forward is texting or emailing codes
• anyone asks you to send passwords or codes “just this once”
• you would have to guess or rely on memory

Write down the result (no secrets)

• What worked
• What was unclear
• What to fix next (1–3 items)

Common fixes

• Write the steps down in one place.
• Make sure the helpers can find the steps without you.
• Remove any single thing that would break everything: one phone, one person, one location.

If you want help

If the drill shows real gaps and you want them closed, you can talk to us.

Need more detail? Read the recovery drill guide.