Estate planning has a well-established checklist for physical assets: a will, powers of attorney, beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, a list of insurance policies, the location of the safe. Financial advisors and estate attorneys have been walking families through this list for decades.
The digital equivalent of that checklist barely exists. Most people have never sat down and inventoried their digital life — the dozens of accounts, the subscription services, the online bank portals, the crypto wallets, the photo libraries — in a way that would allow their family to take over if they were gone. The result is families spending months untangling what their loved one owned, what they owed, and where the relevant credentials are.
This checklist is designed to close that gap. Work through each section and document the accounts, credentials, and instructions your family will need. The goal is not perfection on day one — it is having something substantially complete that can be refined over time.
For each account you document, capture at minimum: the service name, the login URL, the email address used to register, the current password or where to find it, any two-factor authentication method in use, and notes about what the account is for and whether it should be closed or transferred after your death.
1. Financial Accounts
Financial accounts are the highest priority because they hold real money and have time-sensitive implications for your estate. Your executor will need access to account statements and balances to file taxes, pay debts, and distribute assets. Bank portals are often the fastest way to get a complete financial picture.
- Checking and savings accounts — Document each bank's name, the login URL, username, and password. Note whether the account is individual or joint, and whether a beneficiary is designated. Include the account number and routing number if you have them.
- Investment and brokerage accounts — Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, Robinhood, and similar platforms. Document the login credentials and note any automatic investments or recurring transfers that will need to be stopped.
- Retirement accounts (401k, IRA) — Include the platform login, employer name if it's a workplace 401k, and the designated beneficiary name. Retirement accounts pass outside of probate, so the beneficiary designation on file with the institution controls who receives the funds — make sure it's current.
- PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle — These platforms often hold real balances that families don't think to check. Document the email or phone number used to register and the associated bank account.
- Credit cards — Document issuing bank, last four digits, and login credentials. Note any automatic payments charged to each card that will need to be cancelled or transferred.
- Mortgage or loan servicer portals — If you have an online account with your mortgage servicer or auto loan company, document the login so your executor can confirm balances and payment status.
2. Email and Communication
Email is the master key to your digital life. Every account recovery, financial notification, and important correspondence flows through it. Your executor's ability to access your email dramatically simplifies the rest of the estate administration process — they can identify accounts you had, respond to notifications, and request account closures or transfers.
- Primary email account — Your main Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, or similar account. Document the email address, password, and the recovery phone number or backup email associated with it. Also document how to get past two-factor authentication — which phone or app generates the codes.
- Secondary email accounts — Many people have older accounts from previous providers (Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail) or separate work and personal addresses. List all of them.
- Google account legacy settings — If you use Gmail, visit Google's Inactive Account Manager and designate a trusted contact who can access your account after a period of inactivity. Document that you've done this and who you've designated.
- Apple ID — Apple has a Digital Legacy program that allows you to designate a Legacy Contact. That person will be able to request access to your iCloud data, including photos, documents, and notes, after your death. Document whether you've set this up and who your Legacy Contact is.
- Work email — Note your employer's IT contact so your executor knows how to request that important work-related documents be forwarded or that clients be notified.
3. Social Media and Content
Social media accounts hold memories, relationships, and sometimes revenue. A Facebook account with years of family photos, a YouTube channel with an audience, or an Instagram account with a following all represent something meaningful that deserves a deliberate decision about what happens to it. Most major platforms have specific policies for deceased accounts — some allow memorialization, others allow deletion upon request, and a few support full account transfer.
- Facebook / Instagram — Meta allows you to designate a Legacy Contact for Facebook who can manage or memorialize your profile. Document your login credentials and your wishes (memorialize, delete, or transfer). For Instagram, you can request memorialization through Meta's support process.
- X (formerly Twitter) — Document login credentials and note whether the account should be deactivated or preserved. X allows family members to deactivate a deceased person's account with verification.
- LinkedIn — Professional networks often contain years of career history and professional contacts. LinkedIn allows family members to memorialize or close an account. Document your login and your wishes.
- YouTube / content channels — If you run a channel with subscribers and content, document the associated Google account login, any monetization settings, and your wishes for whether the channel should continue, be transferred, or be archived.
- Cloud photo storage (Google Photos, iCloud, Amazon Photos) — Document where your photos are stored and how to access them. These are often irreplaceable family memories. Note whether you have a backup strategy.
- Domain names and websites — If you own domain names or run a website, document the registrar login (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare) and any hosting account credentials. Some domains have significant value or represent ongoing businesses.
4. Crypto and Digital Assets
This section requires the most care and the most security awareness. Crypto credentials — especially seed phrases and private keys — must be stored in a way that protects against theft while alive and guarantees access after death. Do not store seed phrases in cloud services, email, or standard password managers without additional encryption.
- Exchange accounts (Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, Binance) — Document the exchange name, the email address used to register, and the login credentials. Note the approximate balance or asset types held. Include instructions for how to get past two-factor authentication.
- Software wallet seed phrases (MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Phantom) — For each software wallet, store the complete 12- or 24-word seed phrase in an encrypted location your beneficiary can access. Include the wallet name and the blockchain it operates on (Ethereum, Solana, Bitcoin, etc.).
- Hardware wallet details (Ledger, Trezor) — Document the physical location of the device, the PIN, and the seed phrase. Note which wallets and addresses are associated with the device. If the device is lost, the seed phrase alone is sufficient to recover all funds on any compatible software.
- NFTs and digital collectibles — If you hold NFTs or other digital collectibles of value, document which wallet they're stored in and any relevant marketplace accounts (OpenSea, Magic Eden).
- Mining or staking operations — If you have ongoing staking positions, mining rigs, or DeFi positions, document the platforms, wallet addresses, and credentials needed to manage or exit those positions.
5. Subscriptions and Utilities
Subscriptions are often the last category families think to document, but they represent a combination of ongoing financial obligations and useful services that may need to be continued. An executor cannot cancel what they cannot find, and subscriptions that bill to a deceased person's credit card can create months of disputed charges and bank calls.
- Streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, Apple TV+, HBO) — Document the login for each service. Note whether the subscription is billed directly or through a third party (Apple, Google Play). Include the billing email so your executor can contact the service with a cancellation request.
- Cloud storage (Dropbox, Google One, iCloud+, OneDrive) — These often hold files your family will want to access before the account is cancelled. Document the login credentials and note what's stored there.
- Utilities with online accounts (electric, gas, water, internet) — Document the login credentials for any utility accounts managed online. Your executor will need these to transfer or cancel service and ensure final bills are paid.
- Insurance portals (health, life, auto, homeowners) — Document the insurer's name, policy number, and the online portal login for each policy. Life insurance is particularly important — your beneficiary will need the policy number to file a claim.
- Amazon and e-commerce accounts — Amazon accounts often hold active subscriptions, digital purchases (Kindle books, digital games), and gift card balances. Document the login and note any active Subscribe & Save or Prime membership.
- Software licenses and SaaS tools — If you hold professional software licenses (Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, specialized tools) or run a business with SaaS subscriptions, document these separately. Business software may need to be transferred rather than cancelled.
Keep it current: A digital estate plan you create today and never update is better than nothing, but it becomes less useful over time. Set a calendar reminder to review and update your vault at least once a year — ideally around a major life event like a new job, a new account, or a change in marital status. Add new accounts as you create them, and remove closed accounts as you close them.
The single most important property of a digital estate plan is that it exists. A complete, perfectly organized vault is the goal — but an incomplete one with your most critical accounts documented is far better than having nothing at all. Start with financial accounts and email, then work through the rest over a few sessions. Your family will have enough to manage after you're gone without adding the burden of reconstructing your entire digital life from scratch.
Store your completed plan somewhere your executor and designated beneficiaries can actually access it under the right circumstances — not locked behind the same credentials they'd need it to find. A purpose-built vault with access controls, like Clarmont, ensures the information is protected while you're alive and available to the right people when it's needed.