Digital Estate Planning Checklist

Why You Need a Digital Estate Planning Checklist

The average person has over 100 online accounts, from email and social media to banking, shopping, and cloud storage. Without a clear, organized plan, these accounts can become a tangled web that loved ones and executors struggle to navigate after a death or incapacity.

A digital estate planning checklist provides the structure you need to systematically identify, document, and protect every digital asset you own. It transforms what could be an overwhelming process into a series of manageable, actionable steps.

Whether you're just getting started with digital legacy planning or looking to update an existing plan, this checklist will ensure you don't overlook anything important.

The Digital Estate Planning Checklist

Work through each item below to build a complete digital estate plan. Check off each step as you complete it:

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  Inventory all online accounts. Create a comprehensive list of every account you hold: email, social media, banking, shopping, streaming, cloud storage, professional tools, and gaming platforms. Don't forget less obvious accounts like domain registrars, hosting providers, and loyalty programs.
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  Document login credentials securely. Record usernames, passwords, security questions, and two-factor authentication methods for each account. Never store this information in plain text. Use a secure digital vault with encryption.
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  Identify digital assets with financial value. Flag accounts that hold monetary value, including bank accounts, investment portfolios, cryptocurrency wallets, PayPal balances, affiliate earnings, and digital businesses.
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  Designate a digital executor. Choose a trusted person who will be legally authorized to access and manage your digital assets. Make sure this person is named in your estate planning documents and understands their responsibilities.
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  Create directives for social media accounts. Specify whether each social media profile should be memorialized, deleted, or downloaded. Some platforms like Facebook offer legacy contact settings that should be configured now.
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  Organize digital photos and memories. Consolidate photos, videos, and other sentimental digital content into a single, organized location. Label important files and create albums that family members can easily navigate.
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  Review privacy settings and legacy contacts. Check the legacy and inactive account settings on major platforms like Google, Apple, Facebook, and Instagram. Configure legacy contacts where available.
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  Store instructions in a secure digital vault. Bring everything together in one secure, encrypted location that your digital executor can access when needed. Codex Vitae's digital vault is purpose-built for this.

What Comes After the Checklist

Completing this checklist is an important first step, but digital estate planning is an ongoing process. As you open new accounts, acquire new digital assets, or experience life changes, your plan should be updated accordingly. Set a reminder to review your digital estate plan at least once a year.

Consider working with a law firm experienced in digital estate planning to ensure your directives are legally enforceable. And make sure your digital executor knows where to find your plan and how to access it.

Codex Vitae simplifies the entire process with an intuitive platform, zero-knowledge encryption, and built-in tools for organizing, storing, and sharing your digital legacy with the people who matter most. Learn how individuals use Codex Vitae to protect their digital estates.