Field Notes
Filing Custody Journals Alongside Your Estate Documents
How to store printed wallet ledgers so your executor can find them — without compromising security during your lifetime.
A custody journal only serves its purpose if the right person can find it at the right time. Most holders we work with face the same tension: the journal must be accessible enough for quarterly updates but protected enough that a houseguest cannot casually read wallet labels and storage locations.
Separate the index from the recovery
Your custody journal is an index and activity log — not a recovery document. Seed phrases belong on dedicated backup sheets stored in a different location (we recommend a separate fire-rated container or a bank safe-deposit arrangement). Tell your executor where both items are, but do not bind them together.
The three-location model
Several of our clients use a simple model:
- Desk drawer or home safe: Current-volume hot-wallet and reconciliation journals for quarterly updates.
- Bank safe-deposit box: Completed annual volumes and cold-storage inventory.
- Separate secure location (trusted family member, attorney’s office): Seed phrase backup sheets and a one-page letter explaining the journal serial number system.
Labelling for executors
Include a one-page “Reader’s Guide” at the front of your filing system — not inside the journal itself — that explains what each volume contains, where seed phrases are stored, and which attorney or family member holds the backup location key. We provide a template in every bundle’s format guide.
The witness signature blocks
Cold-storage volume pages include witness signature blocks for outbound transfers. Some holders ask their spouse or attorney to sign when a significant transfer occurs. This creates a paper trail that an executor can follow without understanding blockchain mechanics — they see dated entries, initials, and a witness name.
Annual archiving
At year-end, move the completed reconciliation volume to your archive location and begin a fresh reconciliation volume (or request a quarterly reprint matched to your serial number). This keeps your active filing slim while preserving a complete history.