LIVENEXT FREE WEBINAR: Protecting Your Crypto for the People You Leave Behind|Thursday, May 8 · 7:00 PM EST|Limited seats — register free
LIVENEXT FREE WEBINAR: Protecting Your Crypto for the People You Leave Behind|Thursday, May 8 · 7:00 PM EST|Limited seats — register free
LIVENEXT FREE WEBINAR: Protecting Your Crypto for the People You Leave Behind|Thursday, May 8 · 7:00 PM EST|Limited seats — register free
LIVENEXT FREE WEBINAR: Protecting Your Crypto for the People You Leave Behind|Thursday, May 8 · 7:00 PM EST|Limited seats — register free
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Crypto Inheritance Planning · USA
🔒We never ask for your seed phrase, private keys or personal financial data. We only advise and show you what options are available.

When you die, your crypto
could die with you.

If your cold storage crypto has no inheritance plan, your family cannot access it. No bank, no court, no company can recover it. The funds are gone forever.

CoinLegacy helps Americans build a secure, practical plan so your digital assets reach the right people — without exposing your keys while you're alive.

$100B+
Est. Bitcoin permanently lost
20%
Of all Bitcoin may be inaccessible
0
Recovery options without seed phrase
Free
Initial consultation
How It Works
A secure plan for your family in three steps
01
Free Consultation
Speak with one of our specialists about what you hold, where it is stored, and who needs to be able to access it. No obligation, no technical jargon.
02
Build Your Plan
We help you design a secure inheritance structure using proven methods — keeping your keys safe while you're alive, and accessible to your family when they need them.
03
Document Securely
We guide you through the right documentation — what your family needs to know, where to find it, and how to keep it secure against loss or theft.
The core difference
Cold storage crypto is not like a bank account

With a bank account, there is an institution that holds your money and has account recovery processes. With cold storage crypto, you are your own bank — and that means there is no fallback if the seed phrase is lost.

Traditional Finance
Bank Account
Held by a financial institution. Family can apply for access through probate with a death certificate. Courts can compel disclosure. Account recovery exists.
Cold Storage
Hardware or Paper Wallet
Controlled entirely by whoever holds the seed phrase. No institution. No court order helps. No recovery process exists. Without the seed phrase, the funds are permanently gone.
Testimonials
Real families. Real situations.
★★★★★
"My father passed with over $60,000 in Bitcoin on a Ledger. We had no idea what to do. CoinLegacy helped us locate a document he had prepared and we were able to access everything."
Sarah M.
Family client · Austin, TX
★★★★★
"I never thought about what would happen to my Trezor if I died suddenly. CoinLegacy walked me through a clear plan. My wife now knows exactly what to do. That peace of mind is invaluable."
Robert K.
Long-term Bitcoin holder · Denver, CO
★★★★★
"As an estate attorney dealing with digital assets, CoinLegacy has been essential. They help my clients prepare properly so that when the time comes, access is straightforward and legally sound."
Claire T.
Estate Attorney · Chicago, IL

Don't let your crypto disappear with you.

A free 30-minute call with a CoinLegacy specialist. No obligation, no technical jargon.

Why This Matters

What happens to cold storage crypto when someone dies?

Without a plan, the answer is stark: the crypto stays on the blockchain, locked forever, with no way for anyone to access it.

The Core Issue
There is no account recovery on the blockchain
If someone dies with crypto in cold storage — a hardware wallet like a Ledger or Trezor, or a paper wallet — those funds are only accessible to whoever has the seed phrase or private key. Without it, the money is gone permanently. No court order, no legal action, and no technical expert can change that. The blockchain has no customer service department.
Common Mistake 01
Telling nobody
Many holders keep everything secret for security reasons. Understandable — but if they pass away suddenly, that information is gone with them and the funds are permanently inaccessible.
Common Mistake 02
Storing the seed phrase digitally
Saving seed phrases in email, notes or cloud storage creates a security risk while you are alive — and may still be inaccessible to your family after your death.
Common Mistake 03
Including seeds in a will
Wills become public documents during probate. Including your seed phrase in a will exposes it to anyone who reads the document — attorneys, court staff, and potentially the public.
Common Mistake 04
Assuming family will figure it out
Without specific instructions and the correct information, even technically skilled family members cannot recover cold storage crypto. There is no workaround.
This is not a technical problem — it is a planning problem.

The crypto itself is safe on the blockchain. The issue is that access depends entirely on information only the owner possesses. With the right plan in place, your family can access everything securely. Without one, they cannot access anything at all.

There are safe, proven ways to plan ahead.

Our specialists help you build a plan that is secure today and accessible to your family when they need it.

How to Protect Your Assets

Inheritance solutions for cold storage crypto

There is no single right answer. The best approach depends on what you hold, who you trust, and how involved you want to be in the setup.

Four Approaches
Proven methods that work
01 · Most Secure
Multi-Signature Wallets
A multi-sig setup requires multiple private keys to authorise any transaction. You structure it so that two of three keyholders — your heir and a trusted third party — can access funds together after your death. No single person ever has full control.
  • No single point of failure
  • Works with services like Casa
  • Keys never need to be fully revealed
  • Best option for significant holdings
02 · Managed Service
Inheritance Platforms
Dedicated services like Casa and Vault12 are built specifically for crypto inheritance. They act as a neutral third party in your setup and guide your beneficiary through the recovery process when the time comes.
  • Guided setup and ongoing support
  • Professional recovery assistance
  • Suitable for non-technical holders
  • Trusted by thousands of US holders
03 · DIY Approach
Secure Letter of Instruction
A detailed document stored separately from your will — containing step-by-step instructions for accessing your crypto. Stored with your estate attorney or in a safety deposit box. Simple and effective for straightforward setups.
  • Lower cost than managed services
  • Must never be included in the will itself
  • Requires secure, deliberate storage
  • Works well for straightforward holdings
04 · Legal Framework
Digital Asset Trust
A legal trust structure that holds your crypto, with a named trustee who can manage and distribute them according to your wishes. Provides full legal clarity and protection for larger or more complex estates.
  • Full legal protection and authority
  • Trustee has clear standing to act
  • Can include tax planning benefits
  • Recommended for significant holdings
Recommended Platforms
Services built for crypto inheritance
Casa
Multi-Sig Inheritance Service · USA
Casa is a Bitcoin security company offering multi-signature wallet setups with inheritance support built in. They act as one keyholder in a multi-sig arrangement, so your family and Casa can work together to access funds after your death.
Dedicated inheritance key transfer process
Personal key agent support
Works with Bitcoin and Ethereum
Subscription-based with ongoing guidance
Vault12
Digital Inheritance Vault · USA
Vault12 encrypts your seed phrase and distributes it between trusted guardians you choose. No single guardian has the full key. Recovery requires a threshold of guardians to cooperate — making it secure while you are alive and accessible when needed.
No single point of failure
Guardians can be friends or family
Works for any crypto asset
Mobile app — designed for accessibility

Not sure which approach is right for you?

Our specialists will assess your situation and recommend the most appropriate solution — free of charge.

Practical Guidance

Step-by-step: Securing your crypto for your family

A plain-English guide to protecting cold storage assets for the people you leave behind. No technical knowledge required.

⚠ Important Notice

This guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or estate planning advice. For significant holdings, consult a licensed estate attorney and a crypto inheritance specialist before making decisions.

Step 1 — Take stock of everything you hold

Before you can plan, you need a clear private record of all your crypto assets, where they are stored, and what type of wallet holds each one.

  • List every wallet — hardware, paper, software, and exchange accounts
  • Record the approximate value of each
  • Note where any physical devices are physically located
  • Record whether 2FA is enabled and what method you use

Step 2 — Understand your seed phrases

Every hardware wallet has a 12 or 24-word seed phrase generated on first setup. This is the master key. Whoever has this phrase has complete and irrevocable access to your crypto.

  • Confirm you know where your seed phrase is written down
  • Never store it digitally — no photos, no cloud storage, no email
  • Consider engraving it on a fireproof metal plate for durability
  • Never share it unless a secure plan is already in place

⚠ Never include your seed phrase in your will

Wills become public documents during probate in most US states. Including your seed phrase in a will could expose it to anyone who accesses that document. Use a separate, secure letter of instruction instead, and reference in your will only that the document exists.

Step 3 — Decide who you trust

Choose who should be able to access your crypto after your death. This might be a spouse, an adult child, an estate attorney, or a combination. They need to be trustworthy, available, and calm under pressure.

  • Name a primary beneficiary and a backup
  • Consider whether one person or multiple people should be involved
  • If using a multi-sig service, they will become one of your keyholders

Step 4 — Choose your inheritance method

Select the most appropriate approach for your situation and holdings.

  • Multi-sig service (Casa / Vault12) — best for significant holdings
  • Secure letter of instruction — good for straightforward setups
  • Digital asset trust — recommended for larger or complex estates
  • Trusted person with sealed instructions — simplest approach

Step 5 — Create your letter of instruction

Write a clear, plain-English document your beneficiary can follow step by step. Store it separately from your will — with your estate attorney, in a safety deposit box, or using a secure service.

  • Step-by-step instructions for accessing each wallet
  • Where to find the physical hardware device and seed phrase
  • What software to use and where to download it safely
  • Who to call for professional help (such as CoinLegacy)
  • A note in your will confirming this document exists

Step 6 — Tell the right people the right things

Your beneficiary does not need your seed phrase today. They need to know a plan exists, where to find the instructions, and who to contact for help.

  • Tell your beneficiary a secure plan is in place and where the instructions are stored
  • Do not share the actual seed phrase unless there is a specific secure reason to do so
  • Review and update your plan every year and after any major life change
Need help putting this into practice?

Our specialists will walk you through every step, help you choose the right approach for your situation, and make sure your family is protected.

Free · No Obligation

Book your free 30-minute consultation

Tell us a little about your situation and we will match you with a CoinLegacy specialist who can help.

Tell us about your holdings
This helps us prepare the most relevant advice for your situation. All information is completely confidential.
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Our Story

Built to solve a problem no one was talking about.

CoinLegacy was founded by estate and security professionals who kept seeing the same heartbreaking situation: families left with nothing because no plan was in place.

Our Mission

Every crypto holder deserves a family protection plan.

We started CoinLegacy in 2023 after watching a friend's family spend months trying — and failing — to access $180,000 in Bitcoin their father had held on a Ledger. The seed phrase was nowhere to be found. The funds are still there on the blockchain today, permanently out of reach.

That experience drove us to build a service that makes crypto inheritance planning straightforward, secure, and accessible to every American holder — not just the technically sophisticated.

We work with individuals, families, and estate attorneys across the country. Our approach is always plain English, always practical, and always focused on what matters: protecting your family.

1,200+
Families helped build secure inheritance plans
$2.4B+
In crypto assets covered by our plans
48 States
Clients across the continental United States
The Team
Estate and security professionals.
MJ
Marcus Johnson
Co-Founder & CEO
Former estate attorney with 12 years of experience in digital asset law. Based in Austin, TX.
SR
Sofia Reyes
Co-Founder & CTO
Blockchain security engineer. Previously at Coinbase security team. Based in San Francisco, CA.
JP
James Park
Head of Client Relations
Certified financial planner specialising in digital asset estate planning. Based in New York, NY.
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most common questions about crypto inheritance and cold storage planning.

If someone dies with a Ledger or Trezor, is the crypto gone forever?
Not necessarily — but it depends entirely on whether anyone can locate the seed phrase. The crypto itself remains on the blockchain and will never disappear. However, without the seed phrase or private key, no one can access or move it. No company, court, or technical expert can help without it. If the seed phrase is lost, the funds are permanently inaccessible.
Can a US court order compel access to cold storage crypto?
No. A court can order a living person to hand over their crypto access — but if that person is deceased and the seed phrase is unknown, there is no one to order and no technical mechanism to force access. The blockchain is indifferent to court orders. This is one of the fundamental differences between crypto and traditional financial assets.
Should I include my seed phrase in my will?
No — this is a common and serious mistake. In most US states, wills become public documents during probate. Including your seed phrase in a will could expose it to anyone who reads that document. Use a separate, secure letter of instruction instead, stored with your estate attorney or in a safety deposit box. Only reference in your will that this document exists.
What happens to crypto held on exchanges like Coinbase when someone dies?
Exchange-held crypto is different from cold storage. The exchange holds the private keys on your behalf, meaning they have an account recovery and bereavement process. Your beneficiary would need to contact the exchange with a death certificate and probate documentation. The process varies by exchange and can take time, but it is generally possible. Cold storage has no equivalent process.
What is a multi-signature wallet and how does it help?
A multi-signature wallet requires multiple private keys to authorise any transaction — for example, 2 out of 3. You might hold one key, a trusted family member holds another, and a service like Casa holds the third. After your death, your family member and Casa can work together to access the funds. Neither party has full control alone, which keeps your assets secure while you are alive.
Do I need an estate attorney for this?
For significant holdings, working with an estate attorney who understands digital assets is strongly recommended. They ensure your letter of instruction is properly referenced in your will, that any trust structure is correctly set up, and that your beneficiaries have clear legal standing. For smaller holdings, a well-prepared letter of instruction may be sufficient — but legal advice is always worth considering. We can refer you to estate attorneys who specialise in digital assets.
What does a free consultation with CoinLegacy involve?
A free 30-minute call with one of our specialists. We will ask about what you hold, how it is stored, and what your current situation is. We then recommend the most appropriate approach for your circumstances — whether that is a letter of instruction, a multi-sig setup, working with Casa or Vault12, or involving an estate attorney. There is no obligation and no sales pressure.

Have a question not answered here?

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Fill in your details below and one of our specialists will call you. We handle every situation with care and full confidentiality.

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A member of our team will call you at a time that suits you. Bereavement cases are always prioritised and handled with the utmost sensitivity.

ALL ENQUIRIES STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL · USA-BASED TEAM · RESPOND WITHIN 4 HOURS

Real Families · Real Stories

Trusted by over
15,000 families.

From first-generation crypto holders to long-term investors, we've helped families across America protect what matters most. Here's what they say.

15,000+
Families advised
$4.2B+
In crypto assets covered
4.9★
Average client rating
48
States covered
What our clients say
Stories from families we've helped

We do not ask you for your seed phrase, private keys or personal financial data. We advise and show you what options are available — nothing more.

No obligation · Free · Confidential

Need free advice?

Whether you're planning ahead or dealing with an urgent situation, our specialists are here to help. We will explain your options clearly, in plain English — with zero pressure and zero obligation.

🔒 We do not ask for your seed phrase, private keys or personal financial data. We only advise and show you what options are available.
Speak with a specialist within 24 hours
Plain English — no jargon, no technical pressure
Completely free · No obligation whatsoever
Ready to protect your family?

Book your free consultation

A 30-minute call with one of our crypto inheritance specialists. We'll listen to your situation and advise you on the best options available — completely free.

FREE · NO OBLIGATION · USA-BASED TEAM · RESPOND WITHIN 24 HOURS

Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 2026

CoinLegacy LLC ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use our website and services.

Information We Collect

When you contact us, book a consultation, or register for a webinar, we may collect your name, email address, phone number, and information you share about your crypto holdings and estate planning situation.

How We Use Your Information

How We Protect Your Information

We treat all information shared with us as strictly confidential. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. Information about your crypto holdings or estate planning situation is handled with the utmost discretion.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations. You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us at [email protected].

Your Rights

You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data at any time. To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

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Contact

For any privacy-related questions, contact us at [email protected] or call +1 (800) 000-0000.

Legal

Terms of Service

Last updated: April 2026

By using the CoinLegacy website and services, you agree to these Terms of Service. Please read them carefully.

Not Legal or Financial Advice

CoinLegacy provides general information and planning guidance relating to crypto inheritance. Nothing on this website or provided in our consultations constitutes legal advice, financial advice, or estate planning advice. You should consult a licensed estate attorney and qualified financial advisor before making any decisions relating to your estate.

Our Services

CoinLegacy provides educational content, planning guidance, and referrals to appropriate professionals. We do not hold, manage, or have access to your crypto assets at any time. We do not store or have access to any seed phrases or private keys.

Consultations

Free consultations are provided as a courtesy. They are informational in nature and do not create a professional relationship. We reserve the right to decline consultations at our discretion.

Accuracy of Information

We make reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of information on this website, but crypto regulations, platforms, and best practices change frequently. We make no warranties about the completeness or accuracy of any content.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, CoinLegacy LLC shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from use of our website or services.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, United States. Any disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Travis County, Texas.

Contact

Questions about these Terms? Email [email protected].