What Happens to Your Digital Assets When You Die?
When most people think about estate planning, they think about bank accounts, real property, and physical possessions. But in 2026, some of your most important assets may exist entirely online — email accounts, social media profiles, cryptocurrency, cloud-stored documents and photographs, digital subscriptions, and online business accounts. If your estate plan doesn’t address these, your family could face significant problems accessing or preserving them after your death.
What Are “Digital Assets”?
Digital assets include email accounts (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo), social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), cryptocurrency and digital wallets (Bitcoin, Ethereum), cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud), online financial accounts (PayPal, Venmo, brokerage accounts), digital media libraries (Kindle books, iTunes purchases), domain names and websites, and online business accounts and intellectual property.
The Problem
When you die, your family may have no idea what digital accounts you have — let alone how to access them. Most online services have terms of service that prohibit sharing passwords, and many will lock or delete accounts when the account holder dies. Without advance planning, your family could lose access to irreplaceable photographs stored in the cloud, be unable to access financial accounts or cryptocurrency wallets (which can mean permanently losing significant assets), face difficulties closing accounts or stopping recurring charges, and be unable to manage or preserve an online business.
What You Can Do Now
Create a digital asset inventory. Make a list of your digital accounts, what they are, and how to access them. Store this securely — not in your will (which becomes a public document after probate), but in a separate document that your executor can access.
Address digital assets in your estate plan. Your will or trust should include provisions authorizing your executor or trustee to access, manage, and distribute your digital assets. Without specific authorization, service providers may refuse to grant access — even to your executor.
Use platform-specific tools. Major platforms offer their own planning tools. Google has an Inactive Account Manager that lets you designate someone to receive your data. Facebook allows you to name a “Legacy Contact.” Apple has a Digital Legacy feature. Taking advantage of these tools now can prevent problems later.
Consider a password manager. A reputable password manager with a secure master password (shared with a trusted person or stored securely for your executor) can make the difference between your family accessing your digital life and being permanently locked out.
If you’d like to update your estate plan to address digital assets, call me at (859) 225-9540 or use the contact form.
Joseph D. Buckles is an attorney at Buckles Law Office, PLLC in Lexington, Kentucky.
