1. Introduction to digital estate planning

Digital estate planning is like traditional estate planning – but focused on everything that makes up your digital life. 

By that, we mean all of your personal data, including any service that you log in to online. Since so much of our lives are conducted online, having a plan is essential in determining what happens to these assets after we’re gone. Yet, very few people are prepared – according to Forbes, fewer than 15% of Americans have an estate plan that covers digital assets. 

What’s included in a digital estate plan?

Digital estate planning involves taking stock of your online accounts, data, and other assets like cryptocurrencies. That could include personal photos, projects, and other memories stored on personal devices, hard drives, and cloud-based services.

The next step is to make arrangements so that someone you trust can access your assets securely. A digital estate plan should also come with instructions that clearly explain what you would like to happen to everything you’ve handed over.

How do I set up a digital estate plan?

That depends on how you store your data and who will be inheriting it.

If you use a password manager like 1Password, you could leave instructions for accessing your account in a safe, or alongside your traditional will. But if the intended recipient has never used a password manager before, you might want to consider a different form of handover. (You’ll find more instructions in the next section.) 

How do you write an estate plan for digital assets?

There isn’t a “correct” way to do this.

Find a format that works for you and the person who will be inheriting your data. You could use a simple text file, with sections for different asset types. If you use a password manager, you could leave a handwritten note that explains the structure of your vaults. 

How can I make sure my digital estate plan covers everything?

Create a personalized checklist by writing down all of your digital assets, including online accounts. You can do this by working through the following categories:

• Banking
• Government and tax-related services
• Student loans
• Pension
• Mortgages and deeds
• Social media
• Email
• Cryptocurrencies
• Personal websites and domains
• Cloud storage
• Entertainment services

Once you’re ready to start working on your digital estate plan, head to the next section for a detailed rundown of the services and assets you need to consider. This includes instructions on making these accessible to your loved ones when the time comes without compromising the security of your data.