Inheritance

Overview

Inheritance in inZOI determines what happens to a household's money, property, and businesses when a Zoi dies. The system is relatively straightforward: surviving family members inherit the household automatically, keeping the home and remaining Meow balance. Businesses can transfer to another family member as of v0.5.0. There is no formal will or estate-planning system; inheritance happens automatically based on household membership at the time of death.

What Happens When a Zoi Dies

When a Zoi dies, the following sequence occurs:

1. The deceased Zoi is removed from the household roster.

2. A pop-up appears offering the player the option to continue playing with the remaining family members or Go Back in Time (reload a previous save).

3. If the Zoi's Karma is insufficient, they may become a ghost and remain playable for 3 in-game days.

4. An urn is generated automatically (for deaths occurring after v0.4.0). The urn is used for funeral ceremonies and interment.

Household Assets

When a Zoi dies and surviving family members remain in the household:

In practical terms, the death of one household member does not change the household's financial position. The home, money, and possessions all stay exactly where they are. The only change is the loss of the deceased Zoi's career income, which may affect the household's ability to cover future expenses.

Business Inheritance

Starting with v0.5.0 (December 2025), family businesses can be inherited by other household members. When a Zoi who owns a business dies or reaches the Senior life stage, business ownership can transfer to another adult family member in the same household. This feature enables multi-generational business dynasties and prevents business progress from being lost when the founding Zoi ages out or dies.

Business inheritance requires at least one other adult Zoi in the household to receive ownership. If no eligible adult exists, the business may be lost.

When the Last Zoi Dies

If the Zoi who dies is the only remaining member of the household, the situation changes significantly:

• The player is prompted to either select a new family to play within the city or Go Back in Time to reload a previous save.

• The now-empty home becomes unoccupied. It is not automatically demolished or reassigned.

• The household's Meow balance is effectively lost, since there are no surviving members to inherit it.

• Any businesses owned by the deceased Zoi have no one to transfer to and are lost.

To avoid this scenario, consider adding more Zois to a single-person household through adoption, roommates, or marriage before the Zoi reaches the Senior life stage.

Children and Inheritance

Children cannot inherit property or manage household finances directly. If both parents in a household die, children are sent to the Child Protection Agency rather than remaining in the home alone. This means:

• The home becomes unoccupied

• The household's Meow balance is effectively lost

• The children may eventually reappear as part of another family or remain in the system

To protect a family's assets through generational play, ensure at least one Young Adult or older Zoi is in the household at all times.

Asset Distribution During Life

While there is no formal will system, players can proactively manage asset distribution while Zois are still alive through household management tools:

Household Splitting

Open the City Map, click Manage Zois, and use the Manage Family tab to move Zois between families. When splitting a household:

• A Meow slider appears, letting you decide exactly how much money each family receives. There is no automatic even split.

• Furniture and the home stay with the original lot. The departing Zoi takes only their share of Meow.

• This is the closest equivalent to writing a will: distribute assets before a Zoi reaches Senior age.

Wedding Asset Distribution

After a wedding, the newlyweds establish shared housing. If both Zois had separate homes, the game prompts the player to distribute assets between the two households using the same Meow slider system. This merger determines the starting financial position of the combined household.

Funeral Ceremonies

When a Zoi dies (after v0.4.0), an urn is automatically generated. This urn is used for funeral ceremonies and permanent interment. Three property types handle death and remembrance:

Enshrined urns can be retrieved later for additional ceremonies. These funeral properties exist in all cities: Dowon, Bliss Bay, and Cahaya. Urns are only generated for deaths occurring after v0.4.0; earlier deaths do not retroactively produce urns.

The Ghost Period

If a deceased Zoi becomes a ghost (due to insufficient Karma), they remain playable for 3 in-game days. During this period, the ghost can interact with the living world using death-type-specific abilities. At the end of the 3 days, the ghost either ascends to the afterlife or attends their own funeral before departing. The ghost period does not affect household finances or property; it is a narrative and gameplay epilogue rather than a financial event.

Current Limitations

• No formal will system: Zois cannot write wills or designate specific beneficiaries for their assets.

• No inheritance tax: There is no tax applied when assets pass to surviving household members.

• No cross-household inheritance: A dying Zoi's assets only stay within their own household. Relatives in other households receive nothing automatically.

• No estate sale: If the last Zoi dies, the household's Meow and property are simply lost rather than being auctioned or redistributed.

• Children cannot inherit: If only children remain, they are sent to Child Protection Agency and the household dissolves.

Tips for Estate Planning

• Before a Zoi reaches Senior age, ensure the household has at least one other adult member to inherit the home and assets.

• Use the household split tool to distribute Meow to other families proactively while the Zoi is still alive.

• If a Zoi owns a business, make sure another adult in the household can take over ownership.

• Consider adopting or having children early so they age into Young Adults before the parents reach Senior stage.

• Save frequently once a Zoi reaches the Senior life stage. The "Go Back in Time" option lets you reload if a death catches you off guard.

• Married couples who both work provide financial security: if one spouse dies, the surviving partner still has career income to cover bills.