Those Pesky Passwords are the Key to Your Digital Legacy

You’ve just encountered a new website, created a username and a unique password, and are ready to spend a few hours researching, looking for a special gift, or just watching a recording or two. We do this mindlessly now, since we have to do it so often. For most websites, it hardly matters, since we may only use them for a little while and then move on. But think about those websites that you use all the time, perhaps where you do your banking or access your stock market updates, places where you’ve stored credit card numbers, and, for most of us, sites where we have stored family trees, photos, documents, and DNA results. Have you thought of what happens to that information when you can no longer maintain it? It's scary to face our own mortality, but let’s look at some options.

First, a bit of legalese. It seems logical just to let a loved one know your passwords so they can take over all your accounts, but not so fast! Typically, if anything is stored on your personal devices, you and your designated family members have the right to access that data; however, anything stored in an online account needs special permission because, in fact, you have purchased a license to use that service and that license is in your name only. 

Many online providers have been hit by hackers and have become very strict about who can do what on their sites. There are laws in place about digital access that must be followed, and they are not as simple as handing over your passwords to a loved one. So, this is a great time to become proactive and create a digital estate plan.

Here are some things you can do to get started.

1. Make a list of your digital assets, including your email accounts, your genealogy trees and data stored on sites like Ancestry, your social media accounts, online finances, online backup storage, etc.
2. That list should include pertinent login information for each website; that means usernames and passwords.
3. Prioritize them: Which are important to close? Which should keep going even after you are gone? Which have data that can move to other locations?
4. Have you created an account but aren’t using it anymore? Now is the time to start deleting or closing accounts that aren’t being used so they can’t be hacked.
5. Name a digital executor who is techie enough to manage your accounts, and, to be safe and legal, name that person and your plan in your will.
6. Most important, keep your list of digital assets current. Remember to update those passwords and login information whenever you make changes.

What's the best way to keep your passwords safe?

Many of us were brought up with pen and paper, and we gravitate to notebooks when we want to create lists. Ordinarily, it’s a good idea, but in this case, it’s an insecure and unreliable way to keep up with extremely valuable information.

There are many electronic password managers available that will keep your passwords secure. Some web browsers, like Google’s Chrome and Apple’s Safari, have built-in password managers, which work well, but they only work in their own unique environments and do not transfer easily. That means they won’t sync reliably across devices, nor do they have advanced features. However, most of the dedicated programs have inheritance systems built in so you can designate someone to take over when you can’t be there.

Top picks for password managers for 2026 include:

• RoboForm (free; premium 99 cents per month)
• NordPass (free; premium $1.49 per month)
• Proton Pass (free; Pass Plus: $2.99 per month)
• 1Password (especially for Apple users; $2.99 per month)

(See the article on password managers in the list below for specific information on each program.)

Some online accounts now support adding legacy contacts.

A few major websites have begun allowing users to set digital beneficiaries, so you may also want to look at the settings in accounts you use frequently.

• Google: Go to the Google Inactive Account Manager.
• Apple: You can add a Legacy Contact to your account.
• Facebook and Instagram: Go to the Accounts Center.
• Ancestry: Announced this week they were adding a Legacy Contact in the Account Settings.

There are many YouTube videos available on this topic and some informative articles online as well (see below.) At the very least, make sure someone you know and trust knows the password to your computer, your smart phone, and your tablet so they can get started, if anything should happen to you.

More Information

“Don’t Let Your Passwords Die With You. Here’s How to Share Account Access Safely,” by Kim Key, PC Magazine, 7 May 2026. https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/dont-let-your-passwords-die-with-you-how-to-share-account-access-safely

“Secure Your Digital Legacy: 10 Proven Steps to Preserve Your Online Assets,” by Viken Mikaelian, plannedgiving.com, undated. https://www.plannedgiving.com/secure-your-digital-legacy-10-proven-steps/

“The Best Password Managers of 2026,” by Gunnar Kallstrom, passwordmanager.com, 17 April 2026. https://www.passwordmanager.com/best-password-managers/

“Your Digital Legacy,” Funeral Consumers Alliance, 2006. https://www.funerals.org/your-digital-legacy/