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Make information findable before it is needed

A digital legacy plan is a practical record of which accounts and digital records matter, what each provider allows, where important paperwork is kept, and who should know how to find it. It can help trusted people handle practical tasks during an emergency or after a death, while respecting each provider's process and your own instructions.

You do not have to complete everything in one sitting. Start with the accounts and records that would be hardest to locate, then build and review the plan over time.

Informational only: This guide is for general planning and organization. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and it cannot account for your circumstances or local rules. For questions about wills, powers of attorney, fiduciary authority, or digital asset laws, consult a qualified attorney or other appropriate professional.

Step 1

Inventory important accounts

Write down the services and accounts you would want a trusted person to know exist. Capture each provider, the account's purpose, why it matters, the provider's legacy or recovery setting, where secure instructions are stored, the responsible contact, and the last review date. The list is useful even before you add sensitive details.

Group the list by what it is used for

Money and benefits: checking and savings, credit cards, investments, retirement accounts, loans, and payment services.
Insurance and household: life, health, property, utilities, and important subscriptions.
Online access: primary email, password manager, mobile carrier, cloud storage, social accounts, and websites or domains.
Personal records: photo libraries, device backups, creative work, and accounts that hold family or business records.

Note which accounts are especially important and whether they are individual, shared, or connected to another service. Avoid assuming that a family member can access a shared device or account just because they know you.

Account inventory worksheet

Use one copy for each account. Record where secure instructions can be found, but do not put passwords, recovery codes, or private keys in this worksheet.

Provider:
Account purpose:
Why it matters:
Provider legacy or recovery setting:
Where secure instructions are stored:
Responsible contact:
Last review date:

Generic example

Provider: Example Cloud Storage

Account purpose: Stores family photos and device backups

Why it matters: Important family records and memories

Provider legacy or recovery setting: Legacy contact selected; review the provider's current instructions

Where secure instructions are stored: Encrypted vault; access steps kept separately

Responsible contact: Designated family contact

Last review date: April 2026

Step 2

Review each provider's legacy and recovery settings

Providers have different processes, and features can change. Visit the provider's current help pages or account settings for legacy contacts, inactive account instructions, trusted contacts, account recovery, memorialization, and closure options. Record what you set up and where to find the official instructions.

Write down the setting and the next step

For each service, note whether you enabled a legacy or recovery feature, who you selected, and any steps that contact may need to take. If a provider offers no suitable option, record the provider's published process so your contact knows where to start. Keep this record current when you change an email address, phone number, or trusted contact.

Step 3

Record where policies and estate documents are kept

List the location of important records rather than putting every document in the account inventory. Include insurance policies, estate planning documents, property records, and instructions from professionals. Note how the right person can lawfully get to the records, and who to contact if the originals are held elsewhere.

Make the location specific

“Estate documents” is hard to act on. A useful note identifies the attorney or office, the file or storage location, and the person who can help. Do not put passwords, recovery codes, or private keys in a will or other document that may become broadly accessible; ask a qualified professional how to handle sensitive instructions in your situation.

Step 4

Choose and brief trusted contacts

Choose people who can take on the role you have in mind and who are likely to be reachable. Depending on your plan, one person may help locate records while another has a formal role established in legal documents. These are different responsibilities; an online designation does not automatically grant legal authority.

Explain the role while you can

Tell each contact what you are asking them to do, where the current instructions live, how to reach the other people involved, and what steps they should take first. Ask them to confirm they are willing and that their contact information is current. Choose a backup contact where appropriate.

Step 5

Store and share sensitive details securely

Account names and provider links may be enough to create an inventory, but passwords, recovery codes, identity details, and private keys need stronger protection. Limit access to people who need it, use a secure storage method, and share access instructions through a separate, trusted channel.

Keep the handoff understandable and controlled

Use unique passwords and multi-factor authentication where available. Store recovery information securely, and make sure trusted contacts know how to reach it without sending credentials in ordinary email or leaving them in an unsecured note. Check that your chosen storage and access arrangements still work for the people you selected.

For browser password exports, the password export guide explains a common way to prepare a credential list. An exported file may be readable by anyone who gets it, so move it into secure storage promptly and remove extra copies when you no longer need them.

Step 6

Set a recurring review reminder

Choose a date you can remember, such as once a year, and add a reminder to check the plan. Update it when you open or close an important account, change providers, move, change contact details, or experience a major family or life change.

Check that the plan still matches real life

Confirm the account list, provider instructions, document locations, and contact details. Let trusted contacts know when you make changes that affect their role. A short, current plan is more useful than a comprehensive one that no one can locate or act on.

Printable Checklist

Digital legacy planning checklist

Inventory key accounts and note where access and recovery instructions are stored.
Review each provider’s current legacy, recovery, and account closure options.
Record where insurance policies and estate documents are kept, along with relevant contacts.
Choose trusted contacts, explain their roles, and confirm they are willing and reachable.
Store credentials and recovery details securely, with access limited to people who need them.
Schedule a recurring review and update the plan after account, provider, contact, or major life changes.

Informational only: Provider processes vary. This checklist is for general planning and is not legal, tax, or financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

What should a digital legacy plan record?

Start with each account's provider and purpose, where its access or recovery instructions are stored, and what legacy or recovery settings the provider offers. Also note where policies and estate documents are kept, who can help locate them, and how trusted contacts can find your current instructions.

How can FinalKey fit into a digital legacy plan?

FinalKey lets owners organize account details and keep document and photo records in a vault. An owner can designate an existing Access Contact as an heir, then choose an inactivity window for that invitation. The vault can help organize information; it does not provide access to outside provider accounts.

How does a FinalKey heir invitation and time lock work?

The owner selects a 30-, 60-, 90-, 180-, or 365-day inactivity window. The invited heir accepts and verifies separate one-time codes sent to the email address and phone number registered for the invitation. For a standard invitation, the vault stays locked until the selected inactivity window elapses or the owner submits the death-confirmation code to FinalKey. Releasing entries does not bypass this trigger; after it, available records still depend on the owner's sharing and release settings.

An owner can separately enable standing access for a designated spouse, which bypasses the normal timer and per-entry release gate.

Does a FinalKey designation replace provider rules or legal authority?

No. A FinalKey designation does not replace an online provider's own legacy, recovery, or account-closure process, and it does not itself create legal authority. Provider terms and applicable law may affect what someone can access or manage. For questions about wills, powers of attorney, fiduciary authority, or digital asset laws, consult a qualified attorney or other appropriate professional.