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bal-docs/docs/user-guide/backup-transaction.md
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# Offline backup transaction
Beyond the Will-Executor network, the plugin can save the signed inheritance transaction to a **file you keep yourself**. It is the fallback for the (unlikely) scenario where every Will-Executor holding your will has ceased to operate.
![Backup Transaction option in plugin settings](../img/settings-backup-transaction.png){ .screenshot }
*Enable it in the plugin parameters.*
## How it works
With the option enabled, the signed transaction is also written to a file you can store on a USB stick, a NAS, or wherever you prefer.
![Saving the backup transaction](../img/backup-transaction-save.png){ .screenshot }
*Save the transaction to your medium of choice.*
You can then deliver it through a notary, a trusted person, or directly to the heir. On or after the delivery date, whoever holds it can broadcast it through Electrum and the funds move.
## The trade-offs, honestly
Relying on the offline backup alone has real drawbacks:
1. **It goes stale.** Any change to the wallet — a satoshi spent, a new heir, a different date — invalidates the saved file. You have to regenerate and redistribute it every time.
2. **It leaks information.** An heir who holds the file knows the exact date and amount of the inheritance, years in advance. That may not be prudent.
3. **Every step is manual**, with the corresponding risk of error.
!!! tip "Use it as a second layer, not the main plan"
The recommended setup is: select **as many Will-Executors as possible** (only one has to survive to the delivery date), and keep the offline backup as an additional safety net.