The role of a trustee is a great honor, but of course it also comes with the necessary responsibilities. After all, you get access to someone's confidential data. But what exactly does it mean to be a trustee?

We would like to explain the role of a trustee with the help of an example:

Truus uses the About Time app as a tool to record everything related to her death, funeral and legacy. Recently, she invited her brother Tristan and sister Trea as trustees. They have received an email with the invitation. Tristan and Trea can indicate whether they accept this task or not. In both cases, Truus will see in the app whether her brother and/or sister accept the role. If they do so, they will have access to her data at the time indicated by Truus. You can read how that works below.

Truus can set certain rights when inviting Tristan and Trea. For example, she can indicate when she wants to give Tristan and Trea access to her information:

• During her lifetime
• If she is incapacitated
• After death

In addition, Truus can indicate at any time what the rights of Tristan and Trea are:

• Nothing
• View only
• View and edit

With the 'view and edit' function, you can fill in the app on behalf of someone.

Truus also determines for each trustee who can declare her incapacitated/deceased in her app. Truus, like all other users of the app, has been advised to give at least two trustees this right, otherwise no one can access her data if necessary.

If Truus has only given reading rights to Tristan and Trea, then in the event of Truus' death, they will at least be able to access all of Truus' data plus the script that is automatically generated when entering the death.

Many emails are sent from the app to inform the trustee about their role:

1. If Truus invites a trustee, the invitation e-mail will state what rights she grants to the trustee.
2. If Truus decides to change those rights at a later time, Tristan and/or Trea will receive an email explaining the changes.
3. If Truus is declared incapacitated or deceased in the app, both Tristan and Trea will receive an e-mail about this. Depending on the rights they have been given by Truus, it may mean that Tristan and/or Trea will only be able to access Truus' data for the first time.
4. If Truus dies, we offer a script (checklist) to the trustee. This script guides loved ones, in this case Tristan and Trea, through all the steps that need to be taken after the death, around the funeral and after. The script for the death is automatically filled with all the information from Truus, so that Tristan and Trea don't really have to figure anything out themselves.

If Truus becomes incapacitated or dies, Tristan and/or Trea can indicate this in the app. It is important that Truus discussed this with her brother and sister at an earlier stage. About Time is not one of them.

Tristan and Trea are automatically shown a number of screens with steps as a guide for arranging all kinds of things. These steps are always based on what Truus has filled in the app.

Would you like to know more about mental capacity?

Why would Truus give her brother and sister rights to view and edit her profile while she was alive and well? Truus does this if she likes or needs help filling in the app. Of course, Truus discussed this extensively with Tristan and Trea beforehand.

Read the frequently asked questions about trustees here.