How to Include Digital Assets in Your Will: Protect Your Digital Legacy

When most people think about creating a will, they assume it covers everything they own. Homes, cars, bank accounts. But in today’s digital-first world, that assumption is risky. Email accounts, social media profiles, cloud storage, subscriptions, cryptocurrency wallets, online businesses, and treasured digital memories are often left out. Without clear instructions, families are left scrambling, locked out, and stressed during an already emotional time.

Digital assets are not just nice to have. They are communication hubs, financial accounts, identity tools, and memory vaults. Photos, videos, messages, and online investments all carry value both sentimental and financial. If they are not included in your estate plan, loved ones may spend weeks trying to access accounts, cancel recurring charges, or recover important files. In some cases, these assets may be lost forever.

Estate planning attorney Jordan Michaels, Esq. explains, “Traditional wills were never designed to manage modern digital lives. Without proper digital instructions, families face unnecessary delays, legal barriers, and financial losses. Including digital assets in your estate plan is no longer optional, it is essential.”

Understanding What Counts as a Digital Asset

The first step in planning is understanding which items qualify as digital assets. These can include email accounts containing decades of correspondence and important documents, social media profiles preserving family milestones and personal memories, cloud storage and photo libraries holding irreplaceable memories and work files, online subscriptions from streaming services to software, cryptocurrency wallets, online banking accounts, domain names, websites or online businesses, and loyalty programs or accounts requiring login credentials.

Many people have dozens or even hundreds of digital accounts, yet very few explicitly list them anywhere. This leaves families guessing and executors navigating a confusing maze.

Deciding What Should Happen to Each Account

Once you know what qualifies as a digital asset, you must determine what should happen to each one. Some accounts may need to be preserved for sentimental reasons, others closed or transferred to a beneficiary. A paper will cannot execute these instructions efficiently. PDFs or printed lists do not provide secure storage for passwords, automate actions, or adapt as digital lives change.

This is where DigitalWill.com changes the game. It allows you to include every digital asset directly in your estate plan in a secure, actionable way. Instead of vague notes or outdated lists, you create live instructions tied to each account. You decide who gets access, what should happen, and when it should occur. DigitalWill executes these instructions automatically, with a full audit trail and secure verification.

Updating Your Plan Should Be Simple

One of the biggest challenges with traditional wills is keeping instructions up to date. Attorney fees often average five hundred dollars per hour, and even minor changes such as adding a new subscription or updating login information can cost thousands over time. Many people avoid updating their wills entirely, leaving instructions outdated.

DigitalWill eliminates this friction. Updates are instant, secure, and cost-effective. As your digital life evolves, your instructions remain accurate and actionable. This ensures your digital estate always reflects your current life, protecting your loved ones from confusion or delay.

Security and Peace of Mind

Storing account credentials in a PDF, notebook, or drawer is risky. Fraudsters target digital accounts of the deceased, and unsecured information can lead to identity theft, financial loss, and prolonged legal disputes. DigitalWill protects your information with encryption, access controls, and monitored execution. Only authorized individuals can act, and every action is tracked, giving you confidence that your instructions are followed precisely.

Even individuals without traditional financial assets need a digital plan. Photos, messages, subscriptions, and online accounts still require careful handling. Without clear instructions, these assets become liabilities instead of legacies.

Recurring subscriptions continue billing quietly after someone passes. Without access, families may struggle to cancel them, potentially depleting funds unnecessarily. DigitalWill automates this process, ensuring subscriptions are handled according to your instructions. Locked accounts, email, social media, and online banking often require court orders or verification processes before access is granted. This delays estate administration and adds stress. DigitalWill ensures authorized access is granted quickly, securely, and exactly as you intended.

Preserving Memories and Identity

Digital assets are more than financial tools; they carry your story. Photos, videos, documents, and messages stored online may be lost forever without proper instructions. DigitalWill safeguards these memories and ensures they are transferred to the people you trust. Your digital legacy, including memories, relationships, and financial footprints, is preserved, accessible, and executed exactly as you intend.

The Responsibility of Modern Estate Planning

Including digital assets in your will is no longer a niche concern. It is a core part of modern estate planning. DigitalWill ensures your instructions are clear, secure, actionable, and always up to date. Families will not be forced to guess, struggle, or navigate complex legal systems just to close accounts, recover memories, or protect identities.

Planning digitally is responsible, proactive, and thoughtful. It ensures your digital life, memories, communications, and financial assets are respected and preserved for those you care about most.

Actionable Steps to Get Started Today

Even before creating a full Digital Will, you can begin protecting your digital legacy. Make a comprehensive list of all your digital accounts, including email, social media, cloud storage, subscriptions, cryptocurrency, and online businesses. Securely store login credentials, recovery options, and security keys. Decide who will act as your digital executor and make sure they know how to access DigitalWill. Determine what should be preserved, closed, or transferred for each account. Review and update your plan regularly to reflect new accounts, subscriptions, or life changes.

By taking these steps, you remove confusion, reduce stress, and ensure your loved ones can focus on honoring your life rather than untangling your digital presence.

Conclusion

Traditional wills were never built for the digital age. Your online life, including emails, social media, cloud storage, subscriptions, cryptocurrency, and digital businesses, is a significant part of your estate. DigitalWill.com provides a modern, secure, and actionable solution, ensuring your wishes are executed exactly as intended.

Planning digitally is more than a precaution; it is a gift of clarity, comfort, and security that will protect your legacy and bring peace of mind to your loved ones long after you are gone.