Use the Digital Safe to store household documents and supporting files, manage access and prepare for executor disclosure. This article explains what it holds and who can open it. For encryption and access controls, see Security.
What the Digital Safe stores
The vault is designed for the records a family will need:
- Uploaded files: signed documents, insurance policies, deeds, tax returns, beneficiary designation forms, account statements
- Passwords and account details
- The Legacy Letter: a guided personal letter to family (separate from the Letter of Instruction template)
- Institution confirmations for funding letters
Every file uploaded to the vault is encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM envelope encryption, with a separate key for each vault entry, so files cannot be read from storage alone.
Pricing
The Digital Safe is free on every Bancroft plan. There is no per-household charge, no annual renewal fee and no separate vault subscription. The vault is never locked, and it does not depend on the advisor's subscription. Files are never deleted because of billing.
What the client sees
Clients open the Digital Safe from their dashboard. It holds their uploaded files and their passwords, and the Legacy Letter sits beside it.
Clients can upload files directly. Uploaded files are encrypted immediately. Clients can also download and view their own files at any time. Finalized Bancroft documents stay on the client’s Documents page; they are not copied into the Safe automatically.
What the advisor sees
Advisors see the names of what each household has stored: accounts, files, beneficiaries and whether a Legacy Letter exists. They do not see passwords, notes or file contents. Advisors cannot upload to or edit a client's Safe. Copies the firm keeps for its own records go in the household's Firm files tab.
Executor access and disclosure
The Digital Safe includes a disclosure workflow that allows an executor or successor trustee to request access to the vault after the client's death or incapacity. This is one of the most important features of the vault.
How it works:
- The executor submits a disclosure request through a public request form, with their relationship to the client and the reason. No Bancroft account is needed.
- The advisor reviews the request and approves or denies it.
- If approved, the executor gets read-only access to the vault for a fixed period. They can view and download files but cannot upload, edit, or delete anything.
- The advisor can revoke access at any time. Revocation is immediate and permanent for that grant.
Executor access is read-only. They see the documents the client stored. They cannot modify the vault. Every access event is logged in the household audit trail.
The check-in system
The vault includes a periodic check-in system. The platform asks the client from time to time to confirm they are still active. If the client does not respond, the digital executors the client named are notified. This serves two purposes:
- It creates a signal that something may have happened to the client (incapacity, death, change of contact information).
- It keeps the client engaged with their estate plan on a regular cadence, prompting them to think about whether updates are needed.
Check-ins are gentle. A missed check-in does not lock the vault or open it to anyone. It simply ensures someone the client trusts knows.
The Legacy Letter
The Legacy Letter is a guided writing experience inside the vault where clients can write personal messages to their family. It is not a legal document. It is a place to say things that wills and trusts cannot: express love, explain decisions, share values, or provide practical guidance. The letter is stored encrypted alongside other vault files and is accessible to the executor through the disclosure workflow.
Spouse access
The household's primary client owns the Digital Safe and decides whether their spouse or partner can open it. A spouse listed in the household can open the Safe only after the primary client allows it, and only once the spouse has verified their email address. The primary client can allow or remove access at any time, and a removal takes effect at once. Spouse access uses the same encryption and audit logging as all other vault access.
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