Your Digital Life After Death: What Happens to Your Online Accounts?

When most people think about estate planning, they picture wills, real estate, and family heirlooms. But what about your online life?

From email and social media to cloud-stored photos and digital wallets, our lives are increasingly lived—and stored—online. The question is: what happens to all of it when you’re gone?

The Rise of Digital Assets

Digital assets can include:

• Email and cloud storage accounts (Gmail, iCloud, Dropbox)
  
• Social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)
  
• Financial platforms (PayPal, Venmo, crypto wallets)
  
• Online businesses or storefronts
  
• Photos, videos, and personal files
  

These accounts often hold deep sentimental value—or even financial importance. Without a plan, loved ones may face locked accounts, lost memories, and a lot of digital confusion.

Why It Matters

Many companies have strict privacy policies, and unless you’ve authorized someone legally, your family may be left with no access. A surviving spouse may struggle to retrieve cherished family photos or shut down a profile. In some cases, funds in digital accounts could go completely unclaimed.

Your online presence can also remain active long after you’re gone, creating painful reminders or leaving your identity vulnerable to misuse.

What You Can Do

A modern estate plan should include your digital life. Here’s how:

• Make a list of your key digital accounts
  
• Name a trusted “digital executor”
  
• Store login info securely (not in your will)
  
• Use built-in tools like Google’s Inactive Account Manager or Facebook’s legacy contact
  
• Include digital asset instructions in your estate plan
  

Bottom Line

Your digital life doesn’t disappear when you do. By including digital assets in your estate plan, you protect your legacy, ease the burden on your loved ones, and ensure your online presence is handled the way you’d want.

It’s one more simple but meaningful step toward peace of mind—for you and those you care about most.