Why "Just Leave Instructions" Is Not a Plan
The most common Bitcoin estate failure is "the notes." A multi-page document or a hidden set of instructions that tells heirs what devices to find and what software to download. While well-intentioned, these instructions are often lethal to the assets they aim to protect. Instructions without execution authority are just paperwork—and in the high-stakes world of private keys, one wrong step leads to permanent loss. We help families transition from "what to do" to "how to sign."
The Instructions Trap
- Paper instructions are brittle, un-testable, and easily lost.
- Technical steps that work today often fail under market or emotional stress.
- Heirs need a functional system, not a technical manual.
Why Instructions Often Fail
The Knowledge Gap
Instructions assume the reader has the same technical baseline as the writer. If your spouse or heir doesn't understand UTXOs, change addresses, or firmware updates, your "clear" notes will lead to irreversible errors.
Technological Drift
Software, hardware, and protocols change rapidly. A set of instructions written two years ago may be obsolete by the time they are needed, leaving heirs with tools that no longer function as described.
Stress-Induced Error
Recovering Bitcoin after a death or crisis is an incredibly high-pressure event. Rushed moves, incorrect fee settings, or phishing attempts are far more likely when executors are operating from notes without professional support.
The "Centralised" Secret
Instructions often centralise the very secrets they are meant to protect. If the notes are found by the wrong person, or lost by the right person, the entire legacy is compromised. Paper is a single point of failure.
Protocol Over Paper
Instead of leaving a set of notes, we help you implement a repeatable, testable protocol that actually functions when you are no longer there to explain it.
Transitioning to Execution Authority
Our Estate Plan Protocol (EPP) is not just a document—it's a system. It provides the technical and human infrastructure that ensures your fiduciaries and heirs have the capability to move Bitcoin safely, with professional oversight and documented procedures.
Functional Inheritance
Functional inheritance means that your heirs aren't guessing. They are following a rehearsed path supported by a collaborative custody architecture that was designed for survivability.
Rehearsed Recovery
A true plan includes optional rehearsals where heirs or trustees actually sign a test transaction. This builds the muscle memory required for successful execution during a real crisis.
Collaborative Support
By using multisig with TBA as a co-signer, your heirs have a professional partner to call. They aren't alone with a set of seed phrases; they are part of a managed execution process.
For Family Offices
For family offices, we provide Fiduciary Runbooks—functional protocols, not paper instructions. These step-by-step signing manuals for non-technical fiduciaries demonstrate to Investment Committees that they're buying a repeatable system, not a one-time setup. See our Family Office solutions →
Is Your Legacy Just a Set of Notes?
Don't leave your family with a technical puzzle. Transition from instructions to a functional estate protocol today.