Protecting Your Digital Legacy
How to Ensure Your Loved Ones Can Access Your Online Accounts After You’re Gone
In today’s world, our lives are increasingly digital. We bank online, share memories on social media, store photos in the cloud, and manage important correspondence through email. But when someone passes away, what happens to all those digital assets?
For many families, this question only arises after a loved one is gone—when it’s already too late to easily retrieve important information or take control of online accounts. That’s why planning for your digital legacy is an important part of Estate Planning.
Here are some simple, proactive steps you can take now to make sure your loved ones or fiduciary can access and manage your digital life when the time comes.
1. Create a Digital Inventory
Start by listing all your online accounts and digital assets. This includes:
Email accounts (e.g., Gmail, Outlook)
Social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X)
Online banking and investment accounts
Cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud)
Subscription services (Netflix, Amazon, Spotify)
Domain names, blogs, or websites you own
Include usernames and, where appropriate, note any two-factor authentication methods you use.
🔐 Important: Never include passwords in your will—it becomes a public document during probate. Instead, store sensitive login information in a secure, private way.
2. Use a Password Manager
Password managers like 1Password, LastPass, Keeper, or Dashlane allow you to store all your login credentials securely in one place. Many of these tools offer “emergency access” features, which let you designate a trusted contact who can access your vault in the event of your death or incapacitation.
Just be sure your chosen contact knows which password manager you use and how to request access.
3. Use Built-In Legacy Tools on Major Platforms
Several major digital platforms offer ways to manage your accounts after death:
Google: Use Inactive Account Manager to notify and share data with trusted contacts after a set period of inactivity.
Apple: Add Legacy Contacts in your Apple ID settings so they can access your iCloud content.
Facebook: Designate a Legacy Contact to manage your memorialized profile, or choose to have it deleted.
Instagram: Loved ones can request to memorialize or delete your account with proper documentation.
Twitter/X: Allows verified family members or executors to request account deactivation.
TikTok: As of now, TikTok does not offer a formal legacy contact program. However, family members or executors can contact TikTok support to request account removal or changes after a user’s death.
4. We Include Digital Access Provisions in Every Will
At our firm, we understand how important your digital presence is—and how complicated it can be to manage without proper authorization. That’s why every will and trust we draft includes a section specifically empowering your chosen fiduciary to access and manage your online accounts, digital assets, and devices.
This provision grants your fiduciary the legal authority to:
Access, control, modify, cancel, transfer, or delete digital accounts
Retrieve login credentials and manage content on websites and social platforms
Provide lawful consent under the Stored Communications Act (18 U.S.C. §§ 2701 et seq.) for service providers to share account content
Operate as an authorized user under applicable computer-fraud and unauthorized-access laws
By including this language, we help ensure that your fiduciary can access the information they need—without facing legal roadblocks or uncertainty from service providers.
5. Communicate Your Wishes
Let your family or executor know:
That you’ve planned for your digital assets
Where they can find the inventory or password manager
Who your legacy contacts are
This will help avoid confusion, delays, or unnecessary stress during an already difficult time.
Final Thoughts
Your digital presence is a reflection of your life—filled with memories, personal data, and often critical financial information. Taking a few steps now to organize and plan for those assets can make a world of difference for your loved ones later.
If you're ready to create or update your estate plan with digital assets in mind, we’re here to help. Contact our office to schedule a consultation!