Preparing your digital succession can seem like an enormous task. Where do you start? What needs to be documented? How do you make sure nothing important is forgotten? This checklist guides you through each step, from the most urgent to the most comprehensive.

Why a Checklist Rather Than a Generic Guide

Digital succession rarely fails because someone didn't want to prepare. It fails because the task seems too large, because you don't know where to begin, and because you keep putting it off indefinitely.

A checklist transforms an intimidating task into a series of concrete, achievable steps. You don't have to do everything in one session: start with the most critical items, then progress.

Phase 1: The Inventory (2 to 4 Hours)

Accounts With Financial Value

  • [ ] Bank accounts and savings accounts
  • [ ] Brokerage and investment accounts
  • [ ] Life insurance policies (contract numbers and beneficiaries)
  • [ ] Retirement accounts (IRA, 401k, pension)
  • [ ] Cryptocurrencies and digital wallets
  • [ ] PayPal, Wise, Revolut, and other digital wallets
  • [ ] Online income (Stripe, AdSense, Patreon...)
  • [ ] Cashback and loyalty programs with significant value

Email and Communication Accounts

  • [ ] Primary email (and secondary addresses)
  • [ ] Instant messaging (WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal)
  • [ ] Professional accounts (Teams, Slack)

Social Media and Content Platforms

  • [ ] Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
  • [ ] Twitter/X, TikTok, Snapchat
  • [ ] YouTube, Twitch, Podcast
  • [ ] Personal blog or website

Professional Tools (if applicable)

  • [ ] Domain name registrar
  • [ ] Hosting and servers
  • [ ] Critical SaaS tools
  • [ ] Code repositories (GitHub, GitLab)
  • [ ] CRM and customer databases

Everyday Services

  • [ ] Streaming subscriptions (Netflix, Spotify, Disney+)
  • [ ] Amazon and other e-commerce with saved payment
  • [ ] Cloud services (Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive)
  • [ ] Video games and gaming platforms

Devices and Physical Access

  • [ ] PIN codes and passwords for your devices (phone, computer, tablet)
  • [ ] Password manager (master access)
  • [ ] External hard drives and backup media

Phase 2: Securing Access (1 to 2 Hours)

Password Manager

  • [ ] Choose and install a password manager if not already done
  • [ ] Import and organize all your credentials
  • [ ] Document the master password and recovery codes
  • [ ] Test access from another device

Two-Factor Authentication

  • [ ] List all accounts with active 2FA
  • [ ] Document the 2FA methods used (app, SMS, physical key)
  • [ ] Back up recovery codes in a safe place
  • [ ] Document the phone number used for SMS-based 2FA

Recovery Codes

  • [ ] Generate and save recovery codes for your critical accounts
  • [ ] Store them in your password manager or EchoPass

Phase 3: Transmission (2 to 3 Hours)

Choose Your Recipients

  • [ ] Identify who receives what (legal heirs, partner, associates...)
  • [ ] Distinguish personal information from professional information
  • [ ] Choose a trusted digital executor if needed

Configure a Dead Man's Switch

  • [ ] Create an EchoPass account
  • [ ] Set the check-in frequency appropriate for your situation
  • [ ] Configure recipients for each message
  • [ ] Write your messages (see Phase 4)
  • [ ] Test the system with a test message
  • [ ] Designate a legacy contact on Facebook if desired
  • [ ] Configure Google's Inactive Account Manager
  • [ ] Enable Apple Digital Legacy if you use iOS/Mac
  • [ ] Mention your digital directives in your will or codicil

Phase 4: Writing Your Messages (Variable)

Immediate Emergency Message (Write This First)

This message must enable someone to act within the first 48 hours:

  • [ ] Access to your password manager (master password)
  • [ ] Access to your primary email
  • [ ] Contact details of your attorney or notary
  • [ ] Access to critical bank accounts
  • [ ] Life insurance information
  • [ ] Instructions for immediate needs (rent, recurring bills)

Continuity Message (Write This Second)

For managing the weeks and months that follow:

  • [ ] Complete inventory of digital assets
  • [ ] Instructions for each important account
  • [ ] Key professional contacts
  • [ ] Subscriptions to cancel and deadlines
  • [ ] Instructions for your digital belongings (photos, archives)

Personal or Posthumous Message

  • [ ] Personal messages for your loved ones
  • [ ] Your wishes for your post-mortem digital presence
  • [ ] What you want preserved or deleted
  • [ ] Your vision if you were an entrepreneur

Phase 5: Physical Documentation (1 Hour)

Even in the digital age, some information must exist in physical form:

  • [ ] List of contacts to notify in case of death (with contact details)
  • [ ] Location of your important documents (will, insurance contracts)
  • [ ] Location of your backup hard drives
  • [ ] Information about your physical bank accounts
  • [ ] Instructions for accessing EchoPass (URL, username)

Store these documents in a sealed envelope held by your attorney or in a home safe.

Phase 6: Regular Maintenance

A well-prepared digital succession becomes outdated if not maintained:

  • [ ] Monthly: confirm your check-in on EchoPass
  • [ ] Quarterly: verify that the credentials in your manager are current
  • [ ] Annually: review your complete inventory (new accounts, closed accounts)
  • [ ] After each major event: cryptocurrency purchase, new business, master password change

Where to Start If You Only Have 30 Minutes Today

If you can only dedicate 30 minutes right now, take these 3 actions in order:

  1. Create an EchoPass account and write an emergency message with your most critical accesses (email and bank)
  2. Tell a trusted person verbally that this message exists and how to access it
  3. Schedule a 2-hour session within the next 2 weeks to complete phases 1 and 2

These 30 minutes can make an enormous difference if something happens to you before you complete full planning.

Start your digital succession on EchoPass and check off the first items on this list today.