Complete Your Estate Plan Protocol
You’ve received your personalised Estate Plan Protocol and cover email. This guide walks you through completing the document so executors and beneficiaries have what they need—without exposing sensitive keys, will clauses, or disbursement details.
- Keep hardware devices, vault information, and contact details nearby.
- Never write private keys or seed phrases inside the protocol.
- Plan to store the completed document with your will and update it annually or after major life events.
- Leave distribution rules, beneficiary allocations, and other will-specific instructions in your legal documents; this protocol focuses on operational recovery.
Why The Estate Plan Protocol Matters
Single source of truth
Executors, trustees, and beneficiaries get a plain-language map of your Bitcoin, including who to contact for help and where supporting materials are stored. It complements your will—it does not replace the legal instructions that govern asset distribution.
Tailored to your stack
The template covers on-exchange holdings, collaborative vaults, hardware devices, and sovereign extensions. Complete only the sections that apply to you.
Living document
Track revisions in the change log, note when keys move, and flag new signers. Your adviser can support updates whenever your setup evolves.
What You’ll Fill In
| Section | What to capture | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduction | Confirm who the document is for, note confidentiality reminders, and add any personal guidance you want executors to see first. | Sets expectations and reinforces security hygiene before anyone proceeds. |
| 2. Contact Information | Primary and secondary Bitcoin Adviser contacts, plus your adviser’s direct line and email. | Gives executors a first point of call and defines the validation steps we require. |
| 3. Holdings Overview | List each exchange, wallet, vault, or extension—high-level descriptions only. Amounts are optional. | Helps beneficiaries understand the breadth of your holdings without exposing balances. |
| 4. Access Overview | Explain the layers protecting your stack: hardware, seed storage, password manager, and 2FA. Document your personal perimeter security—the layers around your Bitcoin that prevent attackers from reaching your wallet. | Shows how the pieces fit together so no single failure blocks recovery. See our Password Manager Security Guide for details on personal perimeter security. |
| 5. Access Information | Detail where credentials live (password manager, safe, attorney), who holds devices, and how to retrieve backups. | Guides executors step-by-step without disclosing actual secret material. |
| 6. Storage Details | Describe physical locations, custody arrangements, and environmental protections. | Ensures executors or heirs can locate devices and backups quickly under stress. |
| 7. Change History | Log version updates, new signers, or moved hardware with dates and contexts. | Creates an audit trail so future readers trust the document’s accuracy. |
| 8. FAQs | Add clarifications, family-specific notes, or references to supplementary documents. | Keeps common questions answered and reduces back-and-forth during an incident. |
Section-by-Section Prompts
Use these prompts alongside the PDF/Doc template you received. Mirror the field names so you can paste or write cleanly without hunting through the document. Keep inheritances, bequests, and beneficiary percentages inside your will—this worksheet is purely operational.
Cover Email & Header
Verify the onboarding completion date, your full name, and contact email. Update the “Date Prepared” field to match the day you finish editing.
Reminder: Save the signed PDF with a filename like Estate-Plan-Protocol-Lastname-v1.0.pdf.
Section 2 Contacts
List the primary and secondary Bitcoin Adviser contacts plus your adviser’s direct line. If you have a family office liaison or attorney who should be looped in, note them beneath the standard contacts—this section is about who to notify, not who benefits.
Section 3 Holdings Overview
Copy the table directly: each row should read like “Independent Reserve — compliant exchange,” “3-of-5 Theya vault,” or “Personal Trezor single-sig.” Leave the amount column blank unless you’re comfortable disclosing it.
Section 4 Access Overview
Describe each layer (hardware devices, seed phrases, password manager, 2FA). Use the "Protected By" and "Replicated By" columns to point to safes, password vaults, or trusted individuals—not the secrets themselves. This documents your personal perimeter security—the defense layers protecting your Bitcoin. See our Password Manager Security Guide to understand how password managers fit into your security perimeter.
Section 5 Access Information
Exchange table: specify the username/email, where the password lives (e.g., Bitwarden), and the 2FA method. Keys table: list hardware and software keys with short descriptions ("Theya software key on iPhone 14 Pro"). Vaults table: match each vault name with its config file or folder. Important: Never document seed phrases or private keys in this protocol—only where password managers, hardware devices, and backups are located. See our Password Manager Security Guide and YubiKey Security Guide for security best practices.
Section 5 Sovereign Extensions & Devices
Only fill these rows if you run Lightning nodes, hold Opendimes, or use additional hardware like laptops dedicated to Bitcoin management. Note where each device is stored and who can access it.
Section 6 Storage Details
Describe fire/water-resistant safes, safety deposit boxes, or geographically separated backups. Include how to access each location (e.g., “Safe code stored with attorney”).
Section 7 Change History
Start with “v1.0 — Initial draft completed” and add future rows for hardware rotations, new executors, or custody partner changes. Date every entry.
Section 8 FAQs
Keep the default answers unless you need to add family-specific directions (e.g., “Contact Sarah before selling any Bitcoin”). Feel free to reference other documents stored with this packet.
Step-by-Step Completion Guide
Fill the cover details (name, email, preparation date) and double-check that the client-facing email accurately represents your onboarding session date.
Add any context your executor should know—family dynamics, legal constraints, or instructions to contact specific advisers before acting.
Complete the overview table using descriptors (e.g., “Independent Reserve exchange account,” “Collaborative vault with Theya”). Avoid listing balances unless you choose to.
For each layer—hardware keys, seed backups, password managers, 2FA—describe where it lives, who controls it, and how it is replicated. This documents your personal perimeter security framework. Reference Section 5 for specifics. See our Password Manager Security Guide for understanding how these layers work together.
Specify credential locations (e.g., "Bitwarden vault — master password sealed with attorney"). Include which adviser or family member can help locate each item. Document password manager emergency access settings if configured. See our Password Manager Security Guide for estate planning considerations.
Outline how hardware, seed phrases, and backups are protected. Note safes, bank deposit boxes, or geographically separated copies.
Record this version as v1.0, then commit to logging future edits (hardware rotations, new signers, or estate updates) with dates and responsible parties.
Add family-specific answers: who to contact first, how to coordinate with legal counsel, or how to proceed if The Bitcoin Adviser cannot be reached.
Tailor The Template To Your Situation
Skip what you don’t use
If you have no exchange accounts or sovereign extensions, note “Not applicable” so executors know you intentionally left the section blank.
Reference supplementary files
Link to insurance documents, trust deeds, or any recorded walkthroughs rather than duplicating information. Store everything in the same secure location.
Flag adviser involvement
State whether executors should schedule a session with your adviser before moving funds. Include expected timelines and any legal prerequisites.
Store & Share Responsibly
Primary storage
Keep the protocol with your will or trust documents in a fire- and water-resistant container. Mirror a copy with your estate attorney if appropriate.
Controlled access
Grant copies only to executors, trustees, or beneficiaries who need them. Track who has access and update if roles change.
On-demand review
Check in with your adviser whenever life events, vault configurations, or signers change so everyone stays aligned.
Related Security Resources
Your Estate Plan Protocol documents your security setup. These guides help you understand and implement the security layers you're documenting:
Password Manager Security Guide
Understanding personal perimeter security and how password managers protect your digital accounts. Essential reading for documenting access layers in your EPP.
YubiKey Security Guide
Hardware authentication for email, cloud accounts, and critical services. Important for documenting 2FA methods in your protocol.
Hardware Wallet Guide
Setup and security best practices for hardware signing devices. Essential for documenting hardware key information in your EPP.
Bitcoin Emergency Kit
Recovery procedures for lost keys, compromised wallets, and device failures. Complements your Estate Plan Protocol with operational recovery steps.
Need A Hand?
We're here if you'd like a private walkthrough for executors or beneficiaries. Reach your adviser directly, or email contact@thebitcoinadviser.com to coordinate support.
Reminder: Do not send completed Estate Plan Protocols or any sensitive access information via unsecured email. Use encrypted channels or review documents live with your adviser.