Estate planning and settlement at BitGo
Fund a trust online and report a death
How your BitGo accounts transfer at death depends on how each one is titled and whether a beneficiary is on file. Of those, 5 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. Getting these details right keeps assets out of probate and ensures they reach the intended recipients.
To add or update beneficiaries at BitGo, account holders work through direct contact with the institution. The Legal & Regulatory Requests coordinates these changes.
There are two sides to estate planning at BitGo: setting things up while you're alive, and the process survivors follow after a death.
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to fund a trust online, and review 11 account types at BitGo.
Preparing your estate →Death claim process
Report the death to BitGo's Client Support. The page lists the steps and the documents to send.
When someone dies →Email inquiries can be sent to inquiries@bitgo.com.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. BitGo Bank & Trust, National Association is a national banking association chartered under United States law and authorized by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to exercise fiduciary and custodial powers, which lets it open custody accounts titled in the name of a trust; New York clients are served by BitGo New York Trust Company, LLC under NYDFS supervision. Onboarding runs through https://www.bitgo.com/connect-with-us/ and requires the trust agreement or certificate of trust, the trust EIN, trustee identification, and the BitGo Bank & Trust, N.A. Authorized Signer Form, which names a Control Person and catalogs everyone authorized to sign agreements for the entity. One caveat worth knowing: BitGo publishes no trust-specific onboarding guide and does not publish its US custodial services agreement, so ask for the actual agreement and confirm the trust document set before committing assets.
It is not FDIC or SIPC coverage. BitGo states across its entity disclosures that virtual currency "is not legal tender in the United States, is not backed by the United States government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or Securities Investor Protection Corporation protections." What exists is a commercial policy: BitGo Bank & Trust, National Association maintains a $250 million policy on digital assets "where BitGo Bank & Trust, National Association maintains all of the keys," underwritten by a syndicate in the Lloyd's of London and European marketplace, covering loss, theft, and misuse. BitGo pays any deductibles itself, and clients can work with BitGo's broker to buy excess specie coverage. The policy covers custody, not market losses, and it does not follow assets once they are transferred on-chain out of BitGo's custody to an estate or beneficiary wallet.
Sources
Data sourced from BitGo primary sources (23 pages reviewed). How we research.
BitGo customer support
Client Support
Website
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your BitGo accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Forms for Planning Your Estate
Free forms for planning your estate: a will, living trust, pour-over will, both powers of attorney, living will, and TOD deed.
Last Will and Testament
Name your heirs, guardians, and final wishes. Free for every state.
Transfer on Death Deed
Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Vehicle Transfer on Death
Name a beneficiary to inherit your vehicle at death without probate. Available in 26 states and the District of Columbia.
Tools for Planning Your Estate
Free tools for planning your estate: what a will or trust costs, whether you need a trust or TOD deed, and how documents are signed.
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Will My Estate Documents Transfer?
Check if estate planning documents signed in one state are valid in another.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
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How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
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How Much Does a Will Cost?
Compare will costs across providers plus probate costs your heirs will pay.
How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
