Have you ever thought about what happens to your digital life after you’re gone?
When most people sit down to create an estate plan, their first thoughts are usually about physical property, bank accounts, investments, and who will inherit what. But in today’s world, we leave behind far more than heirlooms and retirement accounts. We also leave behind an entire digital legacy.
Consider all the places you exist online:
✅ Your social media profiles
✅ Your smartphone full of family photos
✅ Cloud storage accounts
✅ Online banking and cryptocurrency
✅ Subscription services
✅ Email accounts
Without proper planning, these accounts don’t just disappear—and your loved ones may be left scrambling to piece together access, manage subscriptions, retrieve precious memories, or handle accounts that continue to live on without you.
This is where a Digital Estate Plan becomes essential.
Most states have enacted a law called the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA), which allows you to designate a trusted person to manage your digital assets if you become incapacitated or pass away. But here’s the key: they can’t act on your behalf unless you’ve given clear, legal permission.
How do you do this? Create a Digital Directive.
A Digital Directive is a document outlining how you want your digital accounts and online content to be handled. It covers things like:
🔹 Which accounts should be memorialized, deleted, or transferred
🔹 Where important digital files are stored
🔹 Passwords, logins, and access instructions (secured safely)
🔹 What to do with your online business presence
🔹 Who can access your digital financial accounts
Name a Digital Executor:
This is someone you trust to follow your wishes and handle your digital affairs. They may or may not be the same person as your traditional executor.
Store your Digital Directive securely:
Keep it with your other estate planning documents. Make sure your trusted loved ones know it exists and how to find it when needed.
Why is this so important?
Because in the absence of a plan, your digital life can turn into a burden for your loved ones—locked accounts, inaccessible photos, unfinished business, and ongoing costs from forgotten subscriptions. Worse yet, valuable memories or important documents could be lost forever.
Your digital life matters. Protect it the same way you protect your home, your savings, and your family.
If you’re updating your estate plan or creating one for the first time, let’s talk about incorporating a Digital Estate Plan that reflects the full picture of your life—both online and off. You can set up a consultation with me at (480) 719-7333.