Digital Estate Planning Checklist: The Complete 50-Point Guide for 2026

Most people spend decades accumulating digital accounts, yet fewer than 20 percent of adults have made any arrangement for what happens to those accounts after they die. The result is predictable and painful: families spend months locked out of email inboxes, photo libraries, financial accounts, and even cryptocurrency wallets worth thousands of dollars, all because technology companies enforce strict privacy policies that do not automatically grant access to grieving relatives.

Digital estate planning is no longer optional. Whether your digital footprint is modest or sprawling, a structured approach ensures the right people can access the right accounts at the right time, without legal battles, lost assets, or permanent data deletion.

This complete 50-point digital estate planning checklist walks you through every step, from inventorying your accounts to updating your will with digital provisions. Work through each section methodically, revisit the list every quarter, and you will leave behind clarity instead of chaos.

> Free Download: Build Your Digital Asset Inventory â use this template to catalog all your digital assets in one place.

Part 1: Digital Asset Inventory #

You cannot plan for assets you have not identified. Before you write a single legal instruction, create a comprehensive inventory of everything you own, control, or access online. For a deeper look at the full range of items to consider, see our asset list for estate planning.

Financial Accounts #

List every online bank account, including institution name, account type, and account number.
Document all brokerage and investment accounts, including robo-advisors and retirement platforms.
Record PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, and any other digital payment or peer-to-peer transfer accounts.
Note any high-yield savings accounts, CDs, or money market accounts held at online-only banks.
Catalog all active credit card accounts, including store cards and charge cards managed through online portals.

Email and Communication #

List every email address you actively use, along with the provider (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, ProtonMail, etc.).
Document secondary or legacy email addresses that serve as recovery options for other accounts.
Record messaging platforms where you store important communications (WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, iMessage).

List every social media profile you maintain, including platforms where you have an account but are inactive.
Note whether any accounts have a significant following, monetization, or brand partnership value.
Record any pages, groups, or communities you administer on behalf of yourself or a business.

Cloud Storage and Photos #

Document all cloud storage services (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, Amazon Photos).
Note the approximate volume of irreplaceable content stored in each service, such as family photos or personal videos.
Identify any locally stored drives or external backups that correspond to cloud libraries.

Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets #

List every cryptocurrency wallet and exchange account, including hardware wallets and software wallets.
Record the type of cryptocurrency held in each wallet (Bitcoin, Ethereum, altcoins).
Catalog any NFTs or digital collectibles stored in connected wallets.
Document any decentralized finance (DeFi) positions, staking accounts, or yield-bearing protocols.

For detailed guidance on passing crypto to heirs, see our cryptocurrency inheritance complete guide.

Domain Names and Websites #

List every domain name you own, along with the registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.) and renewal dates.
Document any active websites, blogs, or online stores you operate.
Note any websites that generate passive or active income and their approximate monthly revenue.

Subscriptions #

Catalog every active subscription service (streaming, software, news, cloud tools, membership sites).
Identify which subscriptions renew automatically and which payment method they draw from.
Flag any subscriptions with transferable value, such as software licenses or premium memberships.

Gaming and Entertainment #

List gaming accounts (Steam, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo, Epic Games) and note any digital libraries or in-game currency held within them.
Document any accounts with significant purchased content, such as large digital game or movie libraries.

Part 2: Access and Security #

An inventory is useless without a secure, accessible way for your executor to use it. This section covers the technical setup required to give trusted individuals a reliable path to your accounts.

Password Manager Setup #

Choose a reputable password manager (Bitwarden, 1Password, Dashlane) and store all account credentials in it.
Create a strong master password and document it in a secure physical location accessible to your executor, such as a fireproof safe.
Enable the password manager’s emergency access feature if the platform offers one, and designate your executor as the emergency contact.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Backup #

For every account secured with 2FA, locate and store the backup codes provided at setup.
Document which accounts use an authenticator app versus SMS-based 2FA, and note which phone number or device is registered.
Consider storing backup codes in the same secure physical location as your master password, sealed in an envelope marked for your executor.

Cryptocurrency Seed Phrases and Hardware Wallets #

Write down the seed phrase (recovery phrase) for every software and hardware wallet you own. Never store these digitally.
Store seed phrases on durable, fireproof material (engraved metal plates are preferred over paper).
Document the physical location of every hardware wallet device and its corresponding PIN or passphrase.

For Bitcoin-specific inheritance strategies, read our guide on Bitcoin inheritance planning for heirs.

Recovery Keys and Device Access #

Document the recovery key for your computer’s full-disk encryption (BitLocker on Windows, FileVault on Mac).
Record the PIN, passcode, or biometric bypass instructions for every smartphone and tablet you own.
Note any smart home device accounts (Amazon Alexa, Google Home) that control security systems or door locks.

Part 3: Legal Documents #

Technical access alone is not enough. Without proper legal authority, even a well-prepared executor can face resistance from financial institutions, platform operators, and courts. These checklist items establish the legal framework for digital estate administration.

Digital Executor Designation #

Identify a trusted individual to serve as your digital executor, someone who is technically comfortable and available to manage account transitions.
Confirm this designation explicitly in your will or a codicil, distinguishing the digital executor role from your general executor if they are different people.

RUFADAA and UFADAA Compliance #

Verify whether your state has adopted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA) and understand what it grants your executor by default.
Use the online tools or TODAs (terms-of-service-based override tools) provided by platforms, such as Google’s Inactive Account Manager, to expressly grant access, since RUFADAA access can be overridden by platform terms of service.

Power of Attorney with Digital Provisions #

Update your durable power of attorney to include explicit language authorizing your agent to access, manage, and transfer digital assets on your behalf if you become incapacitated.
Provide a copy of this updated document to your attorney and your designated digital executor.

Will Updates #

Review your existing will and add provisions for digital assets, including guidance on which accounts should be transferred, memorialized, or closed.
Specify the disposition of any digital assets with significant monetary value, such as cryptocurrency, domain names, or revenue-generating websites.

Part 4: Platform-Specific Settings #

Several major platforms have built tools that allow you to designate what happens to your account after death. Activating these settings now is one of the simplest and most impactful steps in the entire checklist.

Facebook Legacy Contact #

Log in to Facebook, navigate to Settings, then Memorialization Settings, and designate a Legacy Contact who can manage your profile after your death or request its removal.

For step-by-step instructions, see our Facebook Legacy Contact setup guide.

Google Inactive Account Manager #

Access Google’s Inactive Account Manager in your Google Account settings and configure what happens if your account is inactive for a defined period, including choosing trusted contacts to receive data or requesting account deletion.

Our Google Inactive Account Manager guide walks through every option in detail.

Apple Legacy Contact #

On any Apple device running iOS 15.2 or later, go to Settings, tap your name, then Password and Security, and add a Legacy Contact who will receive an access key to your Apple ID data after your death.

See our Apple Legacy Contact guide for 2026 for complete setup instructions.

Part 5: Communication and Maintenance #

A plan that only exists in your head, or buried in documents no one can find, provides no protection. These final steps ensure your plan is communicated, accessible, and kept current.

Inform Your Executor #

Schedule a direct conversation with your digital executor to walk them through the location of your inventory, your password manager, your secure physical storage, and the legal documents they will need.

Do not simply leave instructions and assume they will find them. Confirmation of understanding is essential.

Create an Instruction Letter #

An instruction letter is a plain-language document that accompanies your legal documents and explains exactly what your executor should do, in what order, with which tools. It is not a legally binding document, so write it in straightforward language without legal jargon.

Your instruction letter should cover:

The location of your digital asset inventory
The location of your password manager master password and 2FA backup codes
The location of cryptocurrency seed phrases and hardware wallets
The platform-specific settings you have configured (Legacy Contacts, Inactive Account Manager)
A prioritized list of accounts to address immediately versus those that can wait
Contact information for your attorney and any financial advisors

Quarterly Review Schedule #

Digital estates change constantly. New accounts open, old ones close, subscriptions lapse, and platforms update their policies. A static plan quickly becomes outdated.

Set a recurring calendar reminder for the first week of every quarter to:

Review and update your digital asset inventory
Check that password manager credentials are current
Verify that Legacy Contact and Inactive Account Manager settings are still configured correctly
Review any new accounts or digital assets acquired since the last review
Confirm that your legal documents still reflect your current intentions

Special Considerations for Complex Digital Estates #

Not every digital estate fits a simple template. If any of the following apply to you, additional planning is required beyond the standard 50-point checklist.

Content creators: YouTube channels, TikTok accounts, and other creator platforms often have significant monetary and reputational value. Without proper documentation and succession planning, that value evaporates. Learn how to handle this in our guide to content creator estate planning.

Online business owners: Shopify stores, Amazon seller accounts, and monetized blogs are business assets that require business succession planning, not just a password handoff. See our guide to online business estate planning.

NFT holders: Non-fungible tokens present unique inheritance challenges because ownership is tied to wallet access rather than a platform account. Our NFT inheritance planning guide covers the specifics.

Conclusion: Start With One Step #

A 50-point checklist can feel overwhelming. The practical solution is to treat it as a project with phases rather than a single task. Start with Part 1 and spend thirty minutes creating a rough inventory of your most important accounts. That single hour of work produces more protection than years of intending to get around to it.

Digital estate planning is not about anticipating the worst. It is about respecting the people you love enough to spare them unnecessary hardship during an already difficult time. A well-executed digital estate plan is one of the most practical gifts you can leave behind.

Use the template below to begin building your inventory today.