For your family
Your family should know what to do. Without you.
Crypto is part of an estate, but without keys and instructions your family has no way to use it. Sometimes they don't even know it exists. We write them an access plan in language they can follow without us and without you.
We price the instructions after the check-up. You pay nothing when you sign up.
What is in the instructions
- Who holds which key and exactly where it's kept
- What to do step by step, from opening the envelope to the transfer
- Which hardware and software to use, with names and versions
- Whom to call when something doesn't add up (including us)
- What not to do: whom not to trust, what not to click, to whom never to send the words
Who does what
You
You stay in control. You hold the keys, decide who knows what, and can change the setup at any time.
The trusted person
They hold one key out of three and a copy of the instructions. Alone they can do nothing, because a transfer needs two keys.
A notary or lawyer
They handle the will and inheritance matters under their own agreement. On request we talk to them so the documents fit together.
Us
We write and check the instructions and help with the technical side if needed. We hold no key.
How we do it
- 1
Conversation
We decide who in your family should be able to recover the funds and how many people should know the crypto exists. Usually one or two.
- 2
Splitting the keys
With a 2-of-3 wallet we decide which key goes to a trusted person and which to a safe deposit box. Nobody but you gets two.
- 3
Writing it down
We write the instructions in plain language, without jargon. We go through them with you sentence by sentence.
- 4
Trial run
The chosen person follows the instructions on a test wallet with a small amount. If they get lost, we fix the text.
- 5
Notary
If you want, we talk to your notary or lawyer so that the instructions and the will fit together. They write the will.
Scenario: the family opens the envelope
This is what the day might look like when the instructions are needed. It's an example, not a promise of any outcome: the legal side depends on the will and on the notary.
- 1
Someone finds the envelope
The trusted person knows the envelope exists and where it is. Inside are only the instructions: no seed, no amounts, no addresses. The keys are kept elsewhere.
- 2
They read the first page
The first page says what is in the envelope, what not to do and who to call before anything gets clicked.
- 3
They collect the second key
A transfer needs two keys out of three. The instructions say where the second one is and who holds it, so nobody has to guess.
- 4
They install the software
The instructions give the name and version of the open-source software and the address to download it from, so nobody lands on a fake site.
- 5
They sign the transfer
Two keys sign a transfer to an address your family chooses once the inheritance formalities are done. Until then nothing moves.
- 6
They ask for help if they get stuck
For formal matters they call your notary or lawyer, for technical ones they call us. Both numbers are on the last page.
What it costs
- step-by-step instructions for your family, no jargon
- deciding who holds which key and what to do with it
- on request, a conversation with your notary or lawyer
A notary or lawyer handles the will and inheritance matters under their own agreement. We do the technical part.
Mistakes we catch
- The instructions are kept in the same place as the keys
- The instructions are written in jargon your family doesn't know
- Nobody has checked that they can be followed from start to finish
- The document went out of date after a new phone or a new wallet version
What the instructions don't do
- They don't replace a will and don't decide who inherits
- They contain no seed, amounts or wallet addresses
- They don't give anyone access to the funds on their own
- They aren't legal or tax advice
Read more
Questions about the instructions
How are family instructions different from a will?
A will says who inherits and sits with a notary. The instructions say how to technically recover access to the funds: where the keys are and in what order to use them. One doesn't work without the other.
Will my family find out how much I have?
Only what you tell them yourself. The instructions contain no amounts or addresses, only steps.
Can the trusted person take the funds alone?
No. They hold one key out of three, and two are needed for a transfer. Alone they can do nothing.
What if the instructions go out of date?
Once a year we check them together under the subscription. New phone, new wallet version, a move: we fix the text.
Where should I keep the instructions?
On paper, in two places: with you and with the person who holds a key. Not in the cloud, not in an email.
How many people need to know about the crypto?
Usually one or two. The fewer people know the setup, the smaller the risk of a leak, but at least one has to know the instructions exist and where they are.
Do I need a 2-of-3 wallet already?
The instructions describe a specific key layout, so they usually come after the setup or together with it. We start with a check-up and agree the order there.