Overview
Estate Allocation lets you create a plan for how your assets and collections should be distributed among your designated heirs. The allocation engine automatically assigns items based on value targets, while letting you lock specific items to particular heirs.Estate Allocation is currently in beta. While fully functional, we recommend reviewing your allocation plan with your estate planning attorney before relying on it for legal purposes.
Why Estate Allocation?
Automated Distribution
The allocation engine automatically distributes items to meet your value targets
Lock Important Items
Pin specific items or collections to particular heirs — the engine respects your choices
Keep Collections Together
Collections are allocated as a unit — a watch collection won’t be split across heirs
Track Drift
When portfolio values change, see how far your allocation has drifted and rebalance
Formal Workflow
Move plans through Draft → Proposed → Finalized with full version history
Heir Visibility
Share proposed or finalized plans with heirs so they can see their allocations
Getting Started
1
Designate Heirs
You need at least one heir set up in Heir Access before creating an allocation plan.
2
Go to Estate Allocation
Navigate to storehouses.app/estate-allocation
3
Create a Plan
Click “Create Allocation Plan” and choose your distribution mode.
4
Set Targets
Define how much each heir should receive (equal shares, custom percentages, or fixed values).
5
Allocate Items
Use auto-allocate for automatic distribution, or manually assign items and collections.
Distribution Modes
Choose how to divide your portfolio value among heirs:Equal
Each heir receives an equal share of the total portfolio value. If you have 3 heirs, each gets approximately 33.3%.Percentage
Assign custom percentages to each heir. Percentages must add up to 100%. For example:- Heir A: 50%
- Heir B: 30%
- Heir C: 20%
Custom
Assign specific dollar amounts to each heir. There’s no requirement for amounts to total 100% — useful for unequal distributions or when some assets are handled outside Storehouses.How Auto-Allocate Works
The allocation engine uses a greedy bin-packing algorithm to distribute items:- Calculates each heir’s target value based on your distribution mode
- Subtracts the value of any locked assignments from each heir’s remaining capacity
- Sorts unassigned items and collections by value (highest first)
- Assigns each item to the heir with the most remaining capacity
- Distributes any zero-value items evenly among heirs
Collections stay together. When a collection is allocated, all items in it go to the same heir. The engine treats collections as indivisible units.
Working with Allocations
Manual Assignment
From the allocation page, you can:- Browse unassigned items and collections in the unassigned pool
- Search and filter by title or category
- Click an item to assign it to a specific heir
- Drag items between heirs (if supported by your browser)
Locking Assignments
Lock an assignment to prevent it from being changed during auto-allocate or rebalance:- Find the item in a heir’s allocation list
- Click the lock icon to lock it
- Locked items show a lock badge and are excluded from automatic redistribution
You can only lock and unlock assignments while the plan is in Draft status.
Variance Tracking
The allocation page shows variance for each heir — the difference between their target value and their actual assigned value:- Positive variance: Heir has more than their target
- Negative variance: Heir has less than their target
- Zero variance: Heir is exactly on target
Rebalancing
When your portfolio value changes (items added, removed, or values updated), your allocation may drift from its targets.Drift Detection
The system automatically detects when your portfolio has drifted more than 5% from the allocation’s computed total. When drift is detected, you see a notification suggesting a rebalance.How Rebalance Works
- All locked assignments are preserved exactly as-is
- All unlocked assignments are removed
- The allocation engine runs again with updated values
- New assignments are created to meet targets with current portfolio values
- A snapshot of the previous allocation is saved to history
Plan Workflow
Allocation plans follow a formal state machine:Draft
- Full editing capabilities
- Add, remove, lock, and unlock assignments
- Run auto-allocate and rebalance
- Change distribution mode and targets
Proposed
- Plan is shared with heirs for review
- Heirs with approved access can view their allocations
- No editing allowed — retract to Draft to make changes
Finalized
- Plan is locked
- Heirs can view their final allocations
- To make changes, amend the plan (reverts to Draft with a new version number)
Transitioning Between States
Heir View
When your plan is Proposed or Finalized, heirs with approved access can see:- Their assigned items and collections
- The total value allocated to them
- The allocation status (proposed or finalized)
- The distribution mode
Estate Readiness Integration
Estate Allocation contributes 20% to your overall Estate Readiness score:Version History
Every significant change is archived:- Amending a finalized plan archives the current version
- Rebalancing archives the pre-rebalance state
- Deleting a plan archives it before removal
Best Practices
Start with Auto-Allocate, Then Refine
Start with Auto-Allocate, Then Refine
Let the engine do the initial distribution, then lock specific items to particular heirs and rebalance.
Use Collections Strategically
Use Collections Strategically
Group items that should stay together (e.g., a complete watch collection, a wine cellar) into collections before allocating. The engine keeps collections intact.
Lock Sentimental Items First
Lock Sentimental Items First
If specific items are promised to specific heirs, lock those assignments before running auto-allocate.
Review After Value Changes
Review After Value Changes
When you add items, receive appraisals, or market values shift significantly, check for drift and rebalance if needed.
Finalize When Ready
Finalize When Ready
Move through Draft → Proposed → Finalized. Share with heirs for review before finalizing. Use amend if changes are needed later.
Coordinate with Your Attorney
Coordinate with Your Attorney
Estate Allocation in Storehouses is a planning tool. Work with your estate attorney to ensure your legal documents reflect your allocation plan.
FAQ
Can I have multiple allocation plans?
Can I have multiple allocation plans?
No, each account has one active allocation plan at a time. You can amend and create new versions as needed.
What happens if I add new items after finalizing?
What happens if I add new items after finalizing?
New items are unassigned. You’ll see drift detected, and can amend the plan to rebalance and include the new items.
Can heirs see each other's allocations?
Can heirs see each other's allocations?
No. Each heir can only see the items and collections assigned to them.
Does allocation transfer legal ownership?
Does allocation transfer legal ownership?
No. Estate Allocation is a planning tool within Storehouses. Legal ownership transfer requires proper legal documents. Use your allocation plan as a reference for your estate attorney.
What if I remove a heir?
What if I remove a heir?
Items assigned to a removed heir become unassigned. You should rebalance after removing a heir to redistribute their items.
Are encrypted items supported?
Are encrypted items supported?
Yes. If you have end-to-end encryption enabled, item titles are decrypted in the allocation view for your convenience. Heirs with encryption access can also view decrypted titles.