Planning for the Inevitable: Crypto, Care, and the Power of Being Prepared

Most people don’t want to think about dying—especially when their digital life feels so intangible. But if no one knows your seed phrase, the assets you’ve built could disappear forever. Avoiding the conversation does not protect your privacy or security. Instead, it often leaves confusion, debt, and heartbreak for the people you love most. For Marimer Cruz-Nieves, known as the Crypto Rican Insurance Queen, end-of-life planning is about more than paperwork. It is about protecting your legacy, easing your family’s burden, and ensuring that both your physical and digital worlds are secure in a future that is always changing.

About This Blog

Most people don’t want to think about dying. Especially when their digital life feels so intangible. But if no one knows your seed phrase, the assets you’ve built could disappear forever.

Avoiding the conversation does not protect your privacy or security. Instead, it often leaves confusion, debt, and heartbreak for the people you love most.

For Marimer Cruz-Nieves, known as the Crypto Rican Insurance Queen, end-of-life planning is about more than paperwork. It is about protecting your legacy, easing your family’s burden, and ensuring that both your physical and digital worlds are secure in a future that is always changing.

From a Grandfather’s Legacy to Digital Responsibility

Marimer’s story begins with her grandfather, a humble man who passed away in 1992. Despite only reaching a fourth-grade education, he planned everything carefully. His passing showed Marimer the importance of preparation and left a lasting impression.

Years later, immersed in the world of cryptocurrency and blockchain, she realized a troubling pattern. Many in the Web3 space do not prepare for what happens to their digital assets after they are gone. Wallets, seed phrases, and holdings are often untracked or inaccessible, leading to devastating losses.

Why Crypto Estate Planning Requires Special Attention

Crypto assets are different from traditional ones. If your loved ones do not have your seed phrase, they will not be able to recover your assets. Unlike banks, decentralized platforms do not offer support or recovery options.

Marimer shared a real-life example of a friend who passed away unexpectedly. His wife had no access to his crypto accounts. As a result, the community had to raise funds through GoFundMe just to cover funeral expenses.

Practical Steps to Secure Your Crypto Legacy

To avoid this kind of outcome, Marimer recommends these important steps:

  • Write down your seed phrases and store them in a fireproof, waterproof safe.

  • Record a short video explaining how to access your wallets and accounts.

  • Share the location of this information with a trusted person.

  • Use offline (cold) wallets for high-value storage.

  • Revisit your plan twice a year to make updates

These actions are not just technical. They are acts of love and responsibility.

Life Insurance and Long-Term Care: What You Might Be Missing

Planning for death also includes preparing for the possibility of extended illness. According to Marimer, around 70 percent of people will need long-term care at some point. These services can cost up to $200,000 per year, and they are rarely fully covered by Medicare.

She recommends considering life insurance policies with long-term care riders, or annuities that provide both income and protection in the event of illness. These products can safeguard your savings and prevent your family from facing overwhelming financial strain.

Stories That Highlight the Cost of Not Planning

Marimer has seen firsthand what happens when people do not prepare:

  • A neighbor spent three years in probate court after her husband died without a trust.

  • A 46-year-old mother passed away without a will, leaving her children to crowdfund her burial.

  • A friend’s mother became bedridden, with no support in place, forcing an elderly relative to become her full-time caregiver.

These stories are heartbreaking. More importantly, they are preventable.

Why You Might Need a Trust, Even If You Think You Don’t

Many people assume trusts are only for the wealthy. Marimer strongly disagrees.

If you own property, a trust is essential. Unlike wills, which go through probate court, a trust allows your assets to be distributed efficiently, privately, and without unnecessary legal costs.

Marimer works with trusted providers who help clients set up and maintain affordable trusts. The cost is often less than the amount people spend dealing with court disputes later.

Three Steps You Can Take Right Now

If this feels overwhelming, start with just one step:

  1. Write down your digital logins, seed phrases, and passwords.

  2. Identify someone you trust who can access this information in an emergency.

  3. Schedule a meeting with an insurance advisor to explore life and long-term care options.

Every small action you take today helps protect the people you care about tomorrow.

Love Is in the Planning

Marimer is passionate about this work because she has lived through the consequences of poor planning. She believes that preparing for death is not morbid or pessimistic. It is a way of caring for your family and preserving your legacy.

You do not have to do it all at once. Begin with one conversation. One document. One list of passwords.

Your future self and your family will be grateful.

🎧 Watch the full interview between Marimer Cruz-Nieves and Niki Weiss on The Digital Legacy Podcast
 🌐 To learn more about crypto and financial planning, visit phoenixsecuritas.com

Take the Next Step: Start Planning with My Final Playbook


Related Blog

Duis mi velit, auctor vitae leo a, luctus congue dolor. Nullam at velit quis tortor malesuada ultrices vitae vitae lacus. Curabitur tortor purus, tempor in dignissim eget, convallis in lorem.

Beyond Taboo: Finding Inspiration in the Conversation Around Death

he topic of death, often treated with apprehension and avoidance, is something we all face. It’s an inevitable part of life, and yet, our culture often struggles to engage with it openly. But what if embracing conversations about death could actually illuminate our lives and foster deeper connections? This was the heart of a recent empowering conversation on the Digital Legacy Podcast, where Niki Weiss welcomed Peri Rigler, a former marketing strategist who is now a passionate end-of-life death doula and community builder. Peri shares her unique journey and how she is working to reframe our perception of death, making it less scary and more meaningful. Peri’s path to the death care space was, in her own words, "not on my bingo card." For years, she navigated a fast-paced career in marketing and advertising in New York City. Yet, even in her twenties, a persistent "pang" or "ache" began to surface, a persistent inner voice questioning her vocational alignment. This voice, surprisingly, always pointed her toward the death space, a calling she initially found peculiar and difficult to articulate to others. A Calling to Compassion: From Marketing to Meaning Peri describes this pull as an insistent calling that grew stronger with time. It wasn't a morbid fascination but a profound desire to help people in intimate and meaningful ways during one of life's most challenging transitions. The question "What happened to you?" often came with an air of concern from friends and family, implying a negative, perhaps even obsessive, focus. However, for Peri, her focus on death is quite the opposite. She sees death through a lens that helps create a better life, not a gloomy one. Her drive is to assist others on their journey through loss and transition, framing it as a positive and essential part of the human experience. As she aptly put it, it's "the opposite of gloomy." Loosening the "Death Grip": A Brighter Approach Peri’s pivotal shift came during a period of professional transition in Colorado, which provided the mental space to truly listen to that persistent inner voice. She pursued and obtained her death doula certification through the International End of Life Doula Association. This led her to meaningful hospice volunteer work, where she realized the profound need for more open dialogue around death. She noticed people held a "death grip" on the topic, a firm resistance to discussing it. This insight, combined with her marketing background, sparked a creative idea: a podcast that could approach death in a relaxed, non-scary way. This is how "Mostly Death Stuff" was born. Her branding, with its bright yellow sweater and vibrant imagery, is intentionally designed to reflect this mission: to bring light and approachability to the death space. Death and Donuts: Building Community Through Shared Humanity Building on the success of her podcast, Peri felt a strong pull to create community. Recognizing the widespread ache for human connection in today's society, she developed the grassroots community "Death and Donuts". The name itself, she explains, is designed to evoke a smile, pairing two seemingly disparate things to lower the threshold of discomfort surrounding death. It’s about creating a safe space where people can come together face-to-face and virtually to engage in authentic conversations. She launched "Death and Donuts" with a simple Facebook post asking if anyone was interested in a community group that talked about death stuff in a light, bright way, a group that gave "permission to giggle every once in a while." To her surprise, 125 people immediately provided their emails. This overwhelming response signaled a deep, unmet need for such a space. Everyone Qualifies: Death as the Ultimate Unifier Peri emphasizes that "everyone qualifies" for Death and Donuts. Death is the ultimate unifier, a universal experience that transcends age, background, and belief. She envisions her community as another type of affinity group, akin to clubs for dog lovers or hikers. Her goal is to create an environment where everyone feels welcome, regardless of whether they are introverted or extroverted, curious or hesitant. Her events range from informative tours of eco-funeral homes to meetings with psychic mediums, and even simple gatherings at a donut shop to just "talk about death stuff." The surprising side effect, she notes, is that "a side effect of talking about death is actually a shinier life." These conversations, rather than being gloomy, often leave participants feeling a sense of upliftment and renewed appreciation for life.
From Wall Street to Death Tech: How Rachel Edwards is Changing How We Handle Loss

Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things a person can go through. In the heavy fog of grief, families suddenly have to become project managers. They must figure out a confusing maze of funeral homes, legal paperwork, and closed bank accounts. It is a lonely and overwhelming process. Recently, Niki Weiss sat down with Rachel Edwards on the Digital Legacy Podcast to talk about a better way forward. Rachel is the CEO and Founder of Gravely. But she did not start her career in the end-of-life industry. Her journey from the fast-paced worlds of fashion and finance into "death tech" is a deeply personal story. She turned her own heartbreak into a mission to help others. A Career Built in Fashion and Finance Rachel’s path as a business owner is very unique. She has started three companies, invested in others, and given advice to new businesses. Her career began in fashion technology, where she built and sold her own styling business. After that success, Rachel shifted gears completely. She joined the team at J.P. Morgan’s investment bank. There, she helped new companies raise money to grow. She was doing great in a high-pressure corporate world. Then, life took a sudden and devastating turn. A Heartbreaking Turning Point Rachel’s move into the end-of-life space started with a personal tragedy. When her father passed away at age 77, her family was completely unprepared. Because her parents were divorced and her father was not a planner, there were no clear instructions left behind. As the oldest child, the massive pile of paperwork and planning fell onto Rachel's shoulders. She suddenly had to clean up a complex mess while trying to deal with her own deep grief. Coming out of that painful experience, she realized the system was broken. She knew there had to be a better way to support people dealing with loss. Building Gravely for Grieving Families Rachel used her grief and her business background to create a solution. She founded a company called Gravely to support families in the death care space. It is designed to be the very first place a family goes during the difficult first 72 hours after a loss. Instead of a confusing maze, Gravely provides a clear list of the steps you need to take. It helps families understand what services should cost. The site connects users with the right professionals and helps with complicated tasks like closing bank accounts. It even acts as a shared workspace, so you can safely invite other family members to help share the heavy workload. Finding Support in Shared Stories To build a truly helpful tool, Rachel knew she needed to understand the struggles of other grieving families. She took a chance and posted a simple request on LinkedIn. She asked if anyone would be willing to share their experiences with loss. The response was huge. Complete strangers reached out to her. They were willing to jump on a video call and cry for thirty minutes just to share their stories. This incredible response proved a heartbreaking truth. People are desperate for a safe space to talk about death and grief without being judged. It showed Rachel that her mission was not just a business, but a vital public service. Using Doubt as Fuel Building a new technology company comes with unique hurdles, especially in a sensitive space like death care. Rachel openly discussed the realities of being a female business owner. She noted that women and minority founders often have to be prepared to be underestimated in the tech world. Critics might unfairly blame a female founder's success on her looks or connections, rather than her hard work and smarts. However, Rachel uses this doubt as powerful fuel. She uses it to prove her critics wrong. Her ultimate goal is simply to make the world a better place for people in their darkest hours. Thinking About the Future as Self-Care When people learn about Rachel's new career, they often ask how she handles such a heavy topic every single day. But Rachel views her work in a very positive way. She believes that thinking about death forces us to think deeply about our lives. Knowing we will not live forever makes us question how we are spending our time. It makes us ask if we are truly present with the people we love. Rachel encourages people to view planning ahead as a key part of their overall health and wellness. It is not a sad chore, but a deep act of self-care. Small Steps to Protect Your Family Rachel’s story is a powerful reminder that planning ahead is the ultimate gift you can leave for your family. By getting organized today, you save your loved ones from the heavy workload she had to carry. Consider taking a few small steps this week: Start the Conversation: Talk to your family about their wishes. Use Rachel's story as a gentle way to start the chat. Change Your Mindset: Treat your planning as a wellness activity. Grab a comforting cup of tea and spend just fifteen minutes organizing your papers. Share the Work: Do not carry the burden alone. Find trusted friends or family members who can help manage the tasks if a crisis happens. To hear Rachel Edwards’ full inspiring story, listen to her conversation with Niki Weiss on the latest episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast. You can also connect with her team on social media at @meetgravely or explore their helpful platform at http://withgravely.com.
Behind the Scenes at a Modern Funeral Home: Revolutionizing End-of-Life Planning

In today's rapidly evolving world, even the most traditional industries are undergoing significant transformations. One such industry that's experiencing a remarkable shift is the funeral service sector. Gone are the days of somber, cookie-cutter funerals held in dimly lit parlors. Today's funeral homes are embracing technology, personalization, and innovative approaches to help families create meaningful farewells for their loved ones.
Embracing the Unseen: How a Neurodivergent Perspective Transforms Our View of Death and Grief

The topic of death, often shrouded in silence and discomfort, can feel like an insurmountable mountain for many. We shy away from conversations about end-of-life planning, leaving loved ones to navigate a labyrinth of decisions during their most vulnerable moments. Yet, what if our perception of death, and our reluctance to confront it, is rooted in how our brains are wired? This profound question was at the heart of a recent illuminating discussion on the Digital Legacy Podcast, where Niki Weiss sat down with Ryan Bell, a family service advisor at Dignity Memorial. Ryan, who identifies as neurodivergent, offers a truly unique and deeply empathetic perspective on death, grief, and the unexpected gifts they can hold. Ryan Bell’s journey into the death care space was not a straight path, nor was it born from a childhood ambition. Like many life-altering callings, it emerged from personal tragedy and a subsequent journey of self-discovery. Starting in 2021, Ryan experienced an intense period of loss: the death of a friend from congestive heart failure, another to a heroin overdose, the passing of an abusive family member, and the ending of a toxic relationship. These "four very different types of grief," as he describes them, converged into an overwhelming season. Understanding Neurodivergence and Grief It was during this time that Ryan sought help for depression and anxiety, leading to a pivotal diagnosis of autism, ADHD, and Tourette's. This revelation, though not an immediate "light bulb" moment, began to unravel the mystery of why his brain was "wired differently." He realized that his neurodivergent mind processes information from the "bottom up," requiring him to understand every piece of a puzzle before grasping the whole picture. For his own mental well-being, this meant becoming an expert in grief. "If I don't understand this, I can't get past it," Ryan reflected, describing his need to delve deep into the mechanics of loss and toxic patterns. This intense, detail-oriented approach to understanding grief became his superpower, transforming a period of immense pain into a profound insight into the human experience of loss. For neurotypical individuals, the default approach to problems is often "top-down," focusing on the holistic rather than the granular. But for those like Ryan, who have often felt like "aliens in their own skin," disconnected from a world that isn't always welcoming, the bottom-up processing of end-of-life topics can be transformative. It allows for a dismantling of the fear and unknown, replacing it with an almost scientific, philosophical exploration. The Gift of Planning: Easing Burden and Embracing Life Ryan's role as a family service advisor is to help people pre-arrange their funeral and cemetery plans. He witnesses daily the stark contrast between families who have planned ahead and those who haven't. When a loved one dies unexpectedly, the surviving family members are often in a state of crisis, struggling with multiple burdens: financial decisions, emotional turmoil, and the sheer administrative weight of managing a life that has ended. "When you're grieving, you're running two different operating systems," Ryan explained. "Both of those operating systems, there's a new operating system that shows up and the old operating system's exhausted." His mission is simple: to make this excruciating process easier. Pre-planning removes a significant portion of this burden, allowing families to grieve without the added stress of immediate, complex decisions. The conversation with Niki also touched upon the common, yet misguided, sentiment: "Dead is dead. What do I care? They can figure it out." Ryan passionately refuted this, highlighting the immense logistical and emotional toll left on those who remain. The idea that "you're still carrying that person with you on your journey" emphasizes that planning isn't just for the deceased, but a profound act of love and care for the living. It provides comfort, ensures wishes are honored, and allows for a more focused grieving process. Death as a Catalyst for Life and Curiosity One of Ryan's most profound insights is his assertion that "death is life." By acknowledging that death is an inevitable part of our journey, we can paradoxically live more fully. This isn't about morbid fascination, but about embracing our finite existence as a motivator to connect deeply with the world, our relationships, and our spirituality. He draws a beautiful analogy to serpentine walls, which, despite their curves, are more stable and require fewer bricks than straight walls. Our emotional "downs," like the curves in the wall, can lead to new heights of understanding. Grief, therefore, becomes an opportunity for growth, a "gift" that compels us to go inward, to address unresolved traumas, and to connect with our innermost selves. The evolving landscape of funeral rituals also excites Ryan. He encourages families to break away from rigid traditions and personalize memorial services in ways that truly reflect the deceased. From playing Jimmy Buffett at a funeral to simply curating a Google Drive of cherished photos, these small acts of personalization transform a somber occasion into a meaningful tribute and a shared moment of connection. The Future of Grief: AI and Ethical Considerations The discussion ventured into the realm of AI, specifically "grief bots." Ryan, ever the curious explorer, saw potential within ethical parameters. While acknowledging that AI can never replicate a human soul, he believes these tools could serve as another facet of remembrance, a way to interact with echoes of a loved one's personality or words. He underlined the importance of responsible creation and ensuring such tools support healthy grieving processes, rather than prolonging stagnation. Ultimately Ryan's message is one of empowerment and curiosity. By embracing our "bottom-up" understanding, we can dismantle the fear surrounding death, plan thoughtfully, and transform grief into an opportunity for profound self-discovery and connection. It’s about being easy on ourselves, listening to our internal voices, and recognizing that even in the deepest sorrow, there is an invitation for growth. To learn more from Ryan Bell's compassionate approach and insights into end-of-life planning, you can find him @RyanBellGuide on Instagram. Listen to the full episode with Niki Weiss on the Digital Legacy Podcast for more invaluable discussions on navigating death in the digital age.
View All

Comments