Digital Assets ยท Legacy

Managing Digital Assets After Death: A Practical Guide

7 min read Published April 2026
A warm home desk with a laptop, blank notebook, family frames, and window light.
In short: Modern life is digital. Planning what happens to your online accounts, digital vaults, and crypto keys is a critical part of modern estate planning.

In the digital age, a physical will is only half the battle. If you pass away without leaving instructions for your digital assets, your family may face major legal blocks trying to close accounts or retrieve family photos from Apple, Google, or social networks.

Here is how you can manage your digital footprint proactively:

1. Configure Inactive Account Managers

Services like Google offer an Inactive Account Manager, which lets you designate who gets access to your Gmail and photos after several months of inactivity. Apple also offers Legacy Contacts. We highly recommend configuring these features directly.

2. Storing Crypto & Password Access

Cryptocurrency is protected by private keys. If you lose your keys, your crypto is permanently lost. You should never write your private keys in a plain text email or document. Instead, encrypt them inside a text document and store them in a secure client-side vault like MyFinalMessage, targeting your trustee or executor as the recipient.

3. Social Media Memorialization

Decide whether you want your Facebook or Instagram memorialized or completely deleted. Leave explicit instructions in your digital legacy details so your family knows your wishes and has the legal authorization to proceed.

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Written by the MyFinalMessage Editorial Team · Last reviewed April 2026 · Back to Blog