Planning for Digital Assets in Your Estate Plan

From email and social media to cryptocurrency, digital assets are often overlooked in estate plans. Learn how to include them and why it matters.

When most people think about estate planning, they focus on homes, bank accounts, or life insurance. But in today’s digital world, online accounts and digital property are just as important—and often forgotten. Failing to plan for your digital assets can leave your loved ones locked out of important records or exposed to identity theft.

What Are Digital Assets?

Digital assets include:

• Email accounts, cloud storage, and online banking

• Social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)

• Cryptocurrency wallets and non-fungible tokens (NFTs)

• Business websites, domain names, and digital payment platforms

These assets can have financial, sentimental, or legal value—and may be hard to access without the right instructions.

How to Plan for Digital Assets

1. Take Inventory

   List your digital accounts, platforms, usernames, and approximate value or importance.

2. Appoint a Digital Executor

   Some states allow you to name someone specifically to manage digital assets. In New York, your executor can be authorized to access these accounts if the proper language is included.

3. Secure Access Information

   Store passwords and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) details in a secure location or password manager. Your estate plan should explain how to retrieve this information legally.

4. Include Digital Instructions in Your Estate Plan

   Wills and trusts can now include clauses about digital asset management, access rights, and account deletion or memorialization preferences.

Don’t Let Digital Assets Be Lost or Ignored

Without planning, your digital presence can outlive your intentions—or fall into the wrong hands. Including these assets in your estate plan helps protect your privacy and ensure your loved ones have access when needed.

Contact The Law Office of Jin-Wook Kim, P.C. to update your plan and ensure your digital life is properly accounted for.