Legacy · 5 min read · Updated November 10, 2026

Digital assets and passwords in your estate plan

Illustrative examples, education not advice.

In plain words

A generation ago, an executor could find most of a person’s financial life in a filing cabinet. Today, much of it lives online: bank and brokerage logins, email, cloud photo libraries, social media, subscriptions, loyalty points, domain names, online businesses and cryptocurrency.

These are your digital assets. Some have money value. Many have sentimental value that cannot be replaced. Without a plan, your family may not know they exist, may not be legally allowed to access them, or may simply be locked out.

Most states have adopted a version of a uniform law that lets you give your executor or agent permission to access digital accounts. Many online services also offer their own tools to name someone who can manage or download your account after you die. A good plan uses both.

How it helps real people

Saves irreplaceable things, such as family photos, videos and messages.
Stops money leaking through subscriptions and auto-payments that keep running.
Finds hidden assets, such as online-only bank accounts, payment app balances or crypto.
Protects identity. Accounts of someone who has died can be targets for fraud.
Lets a business keep running if it depends on a website, domain, online store or social media account.

What to put in place

An inventory. A list of your important accounts, what they are for and how to reach them. Do not write passwords in your will; wills can become public.
A secure place for access details. Many people use a reputable password manager with an emergency access feature, or a sealed record kept with important papers. Update it as things change.
Legal authority. Ask your attorney to include digital asset powers in your will, trust and financial power of attorney, so your executor and agent are clearly allowed to access content.
Online tools. Where a service lets you name a legacy contact or set an inactive-account plan, use it. These settings often take priority over a will for that account.
Crypto keys. Self-held cryptocurrency can be lost forever without the recovery phrase or keys. Plan how a trusted person could get to them, without exposing them now.
Two-factor access. If accounts require a code from your phone, your family needs a way to unlock the phone or use backup codes.

A worked example

Illustrative. Mike, 47, is fictional and a self-employed photographer. He has:

a cloud library of 20 years of family and client photos;
an online business account and website domain;
online-only savings of $35,000;
about $12,000 in cryptocurrency held in his own wallet;
a dozen subscriptions billed to a card.

He creates an account inventory, stores access details in a password manager with emergency access for his wife, Nora, and keeps his wallet recovery phrase in a sealed envelope in a home safe that Nora can open. His attorney adds digital asset language to his will and power of attorney. He sets a legacy contact on his phone and photo account. His business partner is named in a short business continuity note so client deliveries can be finished.

He also names Nora as beneficiary on the online savings account, so it passes directly.

These figures are illustrative only.

Who it’s for

Everyone with online accounts, which is nearly everyone. It matters most if you:

run a business online or depend on a domain or website;
hold cryptocurrency or other digital-only investments;
keep important records or family photos only in the cloud;
live alone, or are the “tech person” in your household.

Who it’s not for

There is no one it does not apply to, though if you have very few accounts the plan can be a single page.

Risks and trade-offs

Security versus access. Writing passwords down helps your family but can expose you if the record is found. Use secure methods and limit who knows where it is.
Terms of service. Sharing your password may break some services’ rules. Legal authority and the service’s own tools are usually safer.
Lost keys mean lost assets. Self-held crypto has no reset button.
Constant change. Passwords and accounts change often. An outdated list may not help.
Privacy. You may not want everyone to see every message or file. You can limit what your executor may access.

Common mistakes

Putting passwords in the will. Wills may be filed with a court.
Relying on one person’s phone for all two-factor codes.
Forgetting income-producing accounts, such as royalties, online stores or ad revenue.
Not telling anyone the plan exists.
Ignoring tax. Crypto and other digital assets can have taxable gains when sold, and the step-up rules can apply to them at death like other property.

FAQs

Can my executor get into my email?

It depends on the service, your state law, what your documents say and whether you used the service’s own legacy settings. Clear written permission helps a lot.

Should I give my spouse my passwords now?

Many couples share access to key accounts. For others, a secure emergency access feature that releases access only when needed is a good middle ground.

What happens to crypto if no one has the keys?

It is generally lost permanently. Planning how keys will be found is essential.

Do digital assets count in my estate?

Assets with money value, such as crypto, online accounts and domains, generally do. Your executor should list them.

How often should I update my inventory?

At least once a year, and whenever you open or close an important account.

Your next step

Ask VeraLife (/#ask) for a digital asset inventory template you can fill in tonight.

Education, not advice. Examples are illustrative. VeraLife.ai is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer or insurance agency.