Digital Safe (vault)

The Digital Safe is Bancroft's encrypted document vault. It stores estate planning documents, personal files, and sensitive records in one secure location. Clients and advisors can upload files, and the system tracks which documents exist, which are current, and who has access. This article covers how it works, who can access it, and the check-in and executor disclosure features. For the underlying encryption architecture and the broader security posture, see our security and compliance overview.

What the Digital Safe stores

The vault is designed for estate planning documents and supporting files:

• Finalized estate planning documents generated by Bancroft (automatically synced)
• Uploaded files: insurance policies, deeds, tax returns, beneficiary designation forms, account statements
• The Document Tracker: an auto-updated inventory of which documents the household has and which are missing
• The Legacy Letter: a guided personal letter to family (separate from the Letter of Instruction template)
• Proof-of-mailing files for funding letters

Every file uploaded to the vault is encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM envelope encryption. Each vault entry is encrypted with its own key, which is itself wrapped by a master key that never touches the database. No single compromised key exposes the whole vault, and even if the underlying storage were compromised, files cannot be read without the decryption keys.

Pricing

The Digital Safe is included on every Bancroft plan at no per-household charge. There is no annual renewal fee and no separate vault subscription. The vault stays active for every household whose advisor maintains an active Bancroft subscription. If the advisor cancels their Bancroft subscription, the household vault enters a 30-day grace period with read-only access; after the grace period, access is suspended until a new advisor relationship is established. Files are never deleted due to lapsed advisor billing.

What the client sees

Clients access the Digital Safe from their dashboard. The vault is organized into tabs:

• Documents: finalized estate planning documents, organized by type
• Files: uploaded supporting documents (insurance, deeds, tax returns)
• Legacy Letter: a guided writing experience for personal messages to family
• Tracker: a checklist showing which documents exist and which are recommended but missing

Clients can upload files directly. Uploaded files are encrypted immediately. Clients can also download and view their own files at any time.

What the advisor sees

Advisors see the vault contents for each household they manage. The advisor view includes everything the client sees plus metadata: upload dates, file sizes, encryption status, and vault billing status. Advisors cannot edit or delete client-uploaded files (only the client or an admin can). Advisors can upload files to a client's vault, such as finalized documents or supporting materials.

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:

1. The executor (who must have a Bancroft account) submits a disclosure request through the platform, providing their relationship to the client and a brief explanation.
2. The advisor reviews the request. They can approve, deny, or request additional documentation (such as a death certificate or letters testamentary).
3. If approved, the executor gains read-only access to the vault. They can view and download files but cannot upload, edit, or delete anything.
4. The advisor can revoke access at any time. Revocation is immediate and permanent for that grant.

The check-in system

The vault includes a periodic check-in system. At configurable intervals, the platform sends the client a brief email asking them to confirm they are still active. If the client does not respond after multiple attempts, the platform notifies the advisor. This serves two purposes:

1. It creates a signal that something may have happened to the client (incapacity, death, change of contact information).
2. 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. One email, one reminder, and then a notification to the advisor. The system does not lock the vault or take any action based on missed check-ins. It simply ensures someone 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

If the household has two members (spouses or partners), both have access to the shared vault. Each spouse can view, download, and upload files. This is automatic and does not require a separate disclosure request. Spouse access uses the same encryption and audit logging as all other vault access.