What Counts as a Digital Asset?
When most people think about estate planning, they think about physical property — the house, the car, the investment accounts. But in 2026, a significant portion of your wealth and your life exists digitally. And unlike physical property, digital assets can vanish permanently if the right people don't have the right access.
A digital asset is anything of monetary, sentimental, or practical value that exists online or in a digital format. This includes things with obvious financial value, like bank accounts and cryptocurrency, but also things with deep personal value, like decades of email, photo libraries, and personal documents stored in the cloud.
The checklist below is organized by category. Work through it once to identify what you own. Then use a secure vault to document the credentials for each one.
Save or Print This Checklist
Use your browser's print function (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P) to save this checklist as a PDF or print it. Then work through each category and document your accounts in a secure vault.
Print ChecklistThe Complete Digital Assets Checklist
Category 1: Financial Accounts
These are the highest-priority accounts — document them first. Include the bank/institution name, account number, online login, and any beneficiary designations.
- Checking and savings accounts (bank name, account number, login)
- Brokerage and investment accounts (Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard, etc.)
- Retirement accounts (401k, IRA, Roth IRA — employer name and plan details)
- Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Mortgage or home equity loan accounts
- Auto loan or personal loan accounts
- Credit cards (issuer, account number, online login)
- PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle accounts
- Business bank accounts or merchant processing accounts
- Pension or annuity account details and contact information
Category 2: Email Accounts
Email is the skeleton key of the digital world — it's used to reset passwords for almost every other account. Document all email accounts, even old or rarely-used ones.
- Primary personal email (Gmail, Outlook, iCloud Mail, etc.)
- Secondary or backup email addresses
- Work or business email accounts
- Email accounts used for specific purposes (shopping, newsletters, etc.)
- Recovery phone number and backup codes for each account
- Two-factor authentication app or method used
Category 3: Social Media Accounts
Include your preferences for what you want done with each account — deleted, memorialized, or left as-is. Each platform has different policies.
- Facebook (and any linked Instagram account)
- Instagram (login and any linked Facebook)
- Twitter / X
- TikTok
- YouTube (especially if you have a channel)
- Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, BeReal, or other platforms you use
- Your preferences: delete, memorialize, or transfer each account
Category 4: Cloud Storage and Photos
These often hold irreplaceable family photos and important documents. Make sure your heirs can access them before storage subscription lapses and files are deleted.
- Apple iCloud (login, storage plan details)
- Google Photos / Google Drive
- Microsoft OneDrive or Dropbox
- Amazon Photos
- iCloud or Google backups of your phone
- External hard drives or NAS devices (location and access information)
- Digital photo albums or services (Shutterfly, SmugMug, etc.)
Category 5: Subscriptions and Services
Subscriptions continue billing after death unless cancelled. List them so your family can cancel and recover any unused billing periods.
- Streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Peacock, etc.)
- Music streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music)
- Cloud storage subscriptions (iCloud+, Google One, Dropbox)
- Software subscriptions (Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, etc.)
- News or magazine subscriptions
- Gaming services (Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, Nintendo Online)
- Fitness apps (Peloton, Strava, Headspace, etc.)
- Meal delivery or grocery delivery accounts
- Amazon Prime and any associated accounts
Category 6: Cryptocurrency and Digital Investments
This is the most critical category — crypto without documentation is permanently lost. See our full guide on crypto inheritance for detailed instructions.
- Cryptocurrency exchange accounts (Coinbase, Kraken, Binance, etc.)
- Self-custody wallet apps (MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Exodus, etc.)
- Hardware wallet devices (Ledger, Trezor) and their PINs
- Seed phrases for all wallets (12 or 24 words, stored securely)
- 2FA backup codes for all exchange accounts
- NFT wallets and marketplace accounts (OpenSea, etc.)
- DeFi protocol accounts and staking positions
- Any BIP39 passphrases added to seed phrases
Category 7: Government and Official Accounts
These accounts hold important financial and legal records. Your executor or estate administrator will likely need access to some of these.
- IRS online account (irs.gov) login
- Social Security Administration account (ssa.gov)
- State tax authority online account
- Medicare or Medicaid account (if applicable)
- VA account (if applicable)
- USPS account (for mail forwarding)
- Voter registration and state ID/DMV accounts
- Passport and travel document information
Category 8: Business Accounts
If you own a business or are self-employed, these accounts may have significant financial value or obligations. Document them separately and carefully.
- Business bank accounts and credit cards
- Domain names and website hosting (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.)
- Website CMS logins (WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify, etc.)
- Email marketing accounts (Mailchimp, ConvertKit, etc.)
- Business social media accounts
- Freelance or marketplace accounts (Upwork, Fiverr, Etsy, eBay)
- App store developer accounts (Apple, Google)
- Payroll or accounting software (QuickBooks, Gusto, etc.)
- Business insurance policy numbers and contacts
Tips for Each Category
Financial Accounts — Don't Forget Beneficiaries
Documenting login credentials is important, but beneficiary designations are even more important for financial accounts. Accounts with named beneficiaries (like IRAs and 401ks) bypass probate entirely. Review and update your beneficiary designations separately from your digital vault.
Email — The Master Key
Because email is used to reset passwords for almost everything else, giving your heirs access to your email accounts gives them the ability to recover access to most other accounts. Make email documentation your first priority if you're short on time.
Subscriptions — Stop the Billing
Subscriptions often continue billing for months after death because no one knows to cancel them. A complete subscription list lets your family cancel immediately and potentially recover unused prepaid periods. Credit card companies will sometimes claw back recent charges if the cardholder is deceased.
Crypto — No Documentation Means No Recovery
Unlike every other category on this list, there is no recovery option for undocumented crypto. An exchange cannot override a seed phrase. A court order cannot unlock a wallet. If the credentials aren't documented, the assets are permanently lost. Treat crypto documentation with extreme urgency.
Store Your Checklist Securely in Your Vault
My Legacy Goals gives you a structured, encrypted place to document every account on this list. No cloud. No subscription. Your family gets access when they need it most.
🛡️ Open Your Free Vault