Passwords, photos, and accounts: what to include in a digital inventory

Most estate planning conversations start with the home, bank accounts, and beneficiary forms. Digital life often comes last—or not at all. Yet photos, email, subscriptions, and online accounts can be some of the first things a family needs access to after someone dies or becomes incapacitated.

The problem is not that people do not care. It is that digital assets do not sit in a filing cabinet. They live behind passwords, two-factor authentication, and platform rules that were never explained to anyone else.

A digital inventory does not replace a will or trust. It is a practical map—one that helps the people you trust find what matters without guessing.

A digital asset is anything valuable or important that exists online or on a device. That includes more than money.

• Email and messaging accounts
• Cloud photo libraries and document storage
• Social media and creator platforms
• Streaming, software, and subscription services
• Online banking, payment apps, and investment accounts
• Cryptocurrency wallets and NFT platforms
• Domain names, websites, and online businesses

If losing access would create stress, cost money, or erase memories someone would want to keep, it belongs on your list.

Passwords are the gatekeepers. Storing them thoughtfully matters as much as listing the accounts themselves.

• Use a reputable password manager and note who can access it in an emergency
• List major accounts even if passwords are stored separately
• Note which accounts use two-factor authentication and where backup codes are kept
• Identify which accounts are shared with a spouse or family member already

Avoid putting raw passwords in an unsecured note or email. The goal is organized access—not a document that creates new security risks.

For many families, photos are the most emotionally important digital assets. They may live in iCloud, Google Photos, Dropbox, or an external drive nobody else knows about.

• List each photo or file service you use
• Note whether libraries are backed up locally or only in the cloud
• Identify folders that hold legal, medical, or tax documents
• Mention any device that stores originals, such as a phone or home computer

You do not need to catalog every file. Focus on where the meaningful collections live and who should inherit or manage them.

Recurring charges are easy to forget—and hard for family members to untangle. A short list of active subscriptions and autopay accounts can prevent surprise bills and unnecessary renewals.

• Streaming, news, and software subscriptions
• Utilities or services billed to a credit card automatically
• Memberships tied to email rather than a physical address
• Insurance or storage units billed online

Mark which subscriptions should be canceled, transferred, or kept. That small step can save real money and administrative hassle.

Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, Robinhood, Coinbase, and similar platforms may hold meaningful value—even if you use them casually. They often have their own transfer rules and verification steps.

List each platform, what it is used for, and whether someone else knows it exists. Cryptocurrency adds another layer: wallet locations, seed phrases, and exchange accounts should be documented carefully—and stored securely, not in plain text where anyone can find them.

If an account holds significant funds, mention it in your broader estate plan too—not only in a side list.

An inventory only helps if the right people can find it at the right time—and if it stays current.

• Store it with your estate planning documents or tell your trustee where to look
• Review and update it when you change passwords, devices, or major accounts
• Limit access to people you trust, such as a spouse, adult child, or executor
• Avoid sharing full access details in unsecured texts or public cloud folders

Some families keep a high-level inventory in writing and store sensitive credentials in a password manager with emergency access settings. Choose an approach that fits your comfort level and update it at least once a year.

You do not need a perfect catalog of every login you have ever created. Start with the accounts that matter most—the ones that hold money, memories, or the keys to daily life.

A plain-English digital inventory is a small project with an outsized payoff. It helps your family act with clarity instead of panic, and it is one of the most modern, practical steps California families can take alongside their legal plan.