Inheritance Planning
Ensure your trusted contacts can access your wallet documentation if something happens to you. Your keys stay safe, your legacy is protected.
Plan for the Unexpected
Self-custody means you control your keys — but what happens if you can't access them? Inheritance planning ensures your loved ones can locate your wallet documentation if something happens to you, without ever compromising your security while you're active.
How It Works
Add Trusted Contacts
Invite trusted contacts (spouse, attorney, family) with "inheritance" access level. They'll need to create an account to be linked.
Configure Inactivity Period
Choose how long you can be inactive before the inheritance trigger activates: 30, 60, 90, 180, or 365 days.
Stay Active, Stay in Control
Any login activity resets the timer automatically. Just log in occasionally to maintain control.
Warning Emails Keep You Informed
You'll receive warning emails at 30, 15, and 5 days before the trigger activates. Plenty of time to log in if you're just busy.
Contacts Get Read-Only Access
After the trigger activates, your trusted contacts receive full read-only access to your wallet documentation. They can see everything but change nothing.
What Trusted Contacts See
Before Trigger
- Wallet names and counts
- Multisig configurations (no details)
- No location details
- No serial numbers or notes
- No backup information
After Trigger
- Full wallet details
- Backup locations and notes
- Full multisig details
- Inheritance instructions
- Your personal message
You stay in control: Even after the trigger activates, you remain the account owner. You can revoke access at any time by logging in.
Configuration Options
Inactivity Periods
Choose how long you can be inactive before the inheritance trigger activates. Shorter periods provide faster access for emergencies; longer periods reduce false triggers.
Personal Message
Write a personal message that your trusted contacts will see when inheritance access is granted. Include guidance, instructions, or anything you want them to know about accessing your assets.
Keep-Alive Reminders
Receive periodic reminder emails to log in and confirm you're still active. Choose a frequency that works for you: weekly, biweekly, monthly, or quarterly. These gentle nudges help prevent accidental triggers when life gets busy.
Manual Trigger
In addition to the automatic inactivity trigger, you can manually grant inheritance access at any time. Useful if you know you'll be unavailable and want to proactively share access.
Your Recovery Safety Net
Protection Against the Worst Case
With zero-knowledge encryption, even we can't recover your data if you lose both your password and recovery phrase. But with inheritance planning, your trusted contacts become your safety net.
"If you lose your recovery phrase, your trusted contacts can still access your data after the inactivity period. This is intentional — it's your protection against losing everything."
- Works even if you lose your password AND recovery phrase
- Trusted contacts can help you recover access to your documentation
- Protects your legacy if something happens to you
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I just forgot to log in?
No worries — you'll receive warning emails at 30, 15, and 5 days before the trigger activates. If you receive one and realize you've just been busy, simply log in to reset the timer. Even after the trigger activates, you retain full control and can revoke access anytime.
Can I revoke access after it triggers?
Yes, absolutely. You remain the account owner at all times. If the inheritance trigger activates and you return, you can immediately revoke your trusted contacts' access. The trigger can be reset or disabled entirely.
What can my contacts see before the trigger?
Before the trigger activates, trusted contacts with inheritance access see only a teaser view: wallet names and counts, but no sensitive details like locations, serial numbers, or backup information. Full access is only granted after the inactivity period.
Is this the same as giving them my password?
No. Your contacts never learn your password or gain write access. They receive a separate, read-only view of your data. They can see your wallet documentation to help locate your assets, but they cannot modify anything or access your actual cryptocurrency.
What if a trusted contact's account is compromised?
Trusted contacts can only access your data after the inheritance trigger activates. If you're still active, they have no access to sensitive information. You can also remove compromised contacts from your account at any time.
Does inheritance work with zero-knowledge encryption?
Yes. When inheritance triggers, the system uses your pre-shared encryption keys to grant read-only access. Your trusted contacts can decrypt and view your data without ever knowing your password.
Why Not Just Use a Password Manager or Spreadsheet?
Password managers are built for credentials, not for documenting physical devices, backup locations, and recovery procedures. They have no concept of inheritance triggers, emergency documents, or verification reminders. Storing wallet metadata alongside your passwords also concentrates risk — one breach could expose both your login credentials and your cold storage documentation.
Spreadsheets and Notion docs are flexible, but they offer zero encryption by default, no access controls, and no automated inheritance. If something happens to you, your family would need to know where the spreadsheet is, how to access it, and how to interpret it — all without your help.
Legacy Key is purpose-built for self-custody documentation. Your data is encrypted, your inheritance plan is automated, and your family gets clear, actionable emergency documents — not a spreadsheet they have to decode.
Plan how your family can recover your setup
Set up trusted contacts and configure your inactivity period in minutes. Join the private waitlist — we'll email you when a spot opens.