This tool builds a personalised checklist for passing on cryptocurrency and digital assets. It tailors the access, legal, tax, and executor steps to the assets you hold, your jurisdiction, and whether you have a will, a trust, or no plan yet.
How it works
The generator combines three inputs:
- Asset types — each type adds specific access and legal items. Hardware wallets need a documented seed-backup location; exchange accounts need beneficiary processes and KYC contacts; DeFi positions need unwinding instructions.
- Jurisdiction — selects the right tax-on-death guidance (UK Inheritance Tax and CGT uplift, US estate tax and stepped-up basis, or EU member-state variation).
- Estate structure — a missing will, a simple will, or a trust each change the legal steps.
The result is a deduplicated checklist grouped into Access, Legal, Tax, and Executor sections.
The cardinal rule
Never store seed phrases or private keys inside a will. Wills are made public during probate. Keep keys in a separate access memorandum, or split them with a recovery scheme such as Shamir Secret Sharing or a 2-of-3 multisig, so that no single document exposes the funds and no single lost key locks them away forever.
Access methods by asset type
Different asset types require completely different access strategies for heirs:
Hardware wallets (Ledger, Trezor, etc.) — The 12- or 24-word seed phrase is the master key. If the device is lost or broken, the seed recovers all assets. Store the seed in at least two physical locations, not digitally, and document which derivation paths were used for non-standard wallets.
Software or hot wallets — Cloud backups may be encrypted and inaccessible. Document the wallet software, any 2FA device or codes, and the cloud account used for backup. If the phone is lost and 2FA is tied to that phone, the wallet may be permanently locked.
Centralised exchange accounts — Exchanges have death-claim processes but they are slow, typically requiring a death certificate, probate grant, and KYC of the inheritor. Name the exchange and the email address on the account; document the 2FA method. Some exchanges allow beneficiary designations.
DeFi positions — Active lending positions, liquidity pools, or staked assets need to be unwound before transfer. A borrowed position that is not repaid may be liquidated if the collateral ratio drops. Executors almost never know how to do this — write plain-language instructions for each protocol, with links to official documentation.
Tax at a glance
| Jurisdiction | Treatment on death |
|---|---|
| UK | Property for IHT (40% above nil-rate band); CGT uplift to date-of-death value |
| US | Estate tax above the federal exemption; heirs get a stepped-up cost basis |
| EU | Varies by member state — some exempt long-held crypto, others tax the estate |
Recording the date-of-death market value for each asset is essential in all jurisdictions. Without it, heirs may have no way to establish a cost basis and could face inflated tax assessments.
Keeping the plan current
Crypto estate plans go stale faster than traditional ones. A hardware wallet replaced, a new exchange account opened, an NFT platform shutdown, or a DeFi protocol migration can each make part of the plan obsolete. Review the access documentation annually, after any significant portfolio change, and whenever you move assets between custody solutions.
Notes
This is general guidance, not legal or tax advice. Crypto estate planning sits at the intersection of security, succession law, and tax — work with a solicitor and a tax adviser in your jurisdiction, and review the plan annually and after any major change to your holdings. The checklist runs entirely in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere or stored.