One of the most thoughtful things you can do for your family is spend two hours creating a digital will. Not a legally complex document — simply a clear, organized record of your digital life and what you want done with it. This single document can save your family weeks of confusion, protect your assets, and ensure your digital presence reflects your wishes after you're gone.
Vera Legacy exists because most people don't create this document in time. This guide helps you create one while you still can.
What a Digital Will Is — And Isn't
A digital will is not a formal legal document in most states — it does not replace your traditional will or require a notary. It is a practical inventory and instruction document that tells your family and executor exactly what accounts you have, how to find them, and what to do with each one.
What a Digital Will Should Include
A complete digital will covers six areas:
- Account inventory — every major account with the email address associated with it
- Access information — where passwords or credentials are stored (NOT the passwords themselves in the document — a reference to where they're kept)
- Financial digital assets — crypto wallet locations, seed phrase storage, investment accounts
- Your wishes for each account — close, memorialize, transfer, or preserve
- Who is authorized to act — your designated digital executor and any Legacy Contacts
- Update date — when this document was last reviewed
A Simple Template
Digital Will Template — [Your Name] — Updated [Date]
SECTION 1: EMAIL ACCOUNTSPrimary email: [email address]
Secondary email: [email address]
Passwords stored: [location — e.g., "in the red notebook in the home office"
or "in LastPass, master password given to [person]"]
Wishes: [close / memorialize / transfer to [person]]
SECTION 2: FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS
PayPal: [email]
Venmo: [phone number associated]
Crypto: [exchange names] — account emails: [emails]
Crypto wallets: [seed phrase location — e.g., "in the fireproof safe"]
Investment accounts: [Robinhood, Fidelity, etc.] — account emails
SECTION 3: SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: [profile name] — Wishes: memorialize / delete
Instagram: [@handle] — Wishes: memorialize / delete
LinkedIn: [profile URL] — Wishes: remove
Other: [platform, handle, wishes]
SECTION 4: SUBSCRIPTIONS
[List major subscriptions — Netflix, Spotify, etc. — with email used]
All are funded by: [credit card last 4 digits]
SECTION 5: CLOUD STORAGE
Google Photos / Drive: [email]
iCloud: [Apple ID email]
Important files location: [description]
SECTION 6: MY DIGITAL EXECUTOR
I designate [full name] to manage my digital estate.
They can be reached at [phone / email].
This document was last updated: [date]
Where to Store Your Digital Will
The digital will must be findable without digital access — because the person who needs it may not be able to access your devices. Store it in at least two of these locations:
- Printed copy in a fireproof safe or with your traditional will
- Shared with your estate attorney as an attachment to your will
- Given to your designated digital executor in a sealed envelope
- Stored in the Vera Legacy Digital Vault (launching Q4 2026) with attorney-integrated release
Do not rely solely on digital storage — a document stored only on your phone or cloud account may be inaccessible to the exact person who needs it.
Important Security Note on Passwords
Do not write your actual passwords in the digital will document. Instead, note where passwords are stored — "in the LastPass password manager, master password is written on the card in the back of the red notebook." This prevents the document itself from becoming a security risk if it falls into the wrong hands before your death.
Update It Annually
Your digital life changes every year. New accounts, new subscriptions, new crypto holdings. Schedule a 30-minute review every January to update the document. An outdated digital will is significantly less useful than a current one.
Already dealing with a loved one's estate?
If your loved one didn't leave a digital will, Vera Legacy helps families reconstruct the account inventory and manage the entire closure process — from $147.
See How We Help →The Digital Vault — A Better Solution
A paper digital will has limitations — it can be lost, damaged, or found by the wrong person. The Vera Legacy Digital Vault, launching Q4 2026, provides encrypted, attorney-integrated storage for your digital will and credentials. Your designated executor and attorney receive access automatically when needed — not before. Join the founding member waitlist at veralegacy.com/vault.html.