Every day, we create, use, and feed dozens of online accounts. Email, social networks, streaming, banking, e-commerce… This digital estate represents a significant part of our lives. But what happens to it after we die? And how can we plan ahead to avoid leaving our loved ones in a difficult situation?

The Reality of Digital Assets After Death

Unlike real estate or a traditional bank account, digital accounts don't transfer automatically. Each platform has its own rules — often poorly understood — and the procedures to access or close them can be lengthy and complex.

In many countries, laws increasingly recognize heirs' rights to access a deceased person's data — but you need to know these accounts exist and be able to access them in the first place.

A Tour by Account Type

Email Accounts

Email is often the master key to all other accounts (password recovery). Without access, your loved ones can't recover any other account.

  • Gmail: Google offers an Inactive Account Manager that lets you designate beneficiaries if your account is inactive for 3 to 18 months.
  • Outlook / Hotmail: Microsoft can grant access to legal heirs after proof of death.
  • Other providers: procedures vary and are often lengthy.

Social Media

  • Facebook: you can designate a legacy contact or have the account memorialized.
  • Instagram: no legacy contact, but memorialization or deletion is possible on request.
  • LinkedIn: account closure on request from family with proof of death.
  • Twitter/X: deactivation upon request from next of kin.

Online Financial Services

Online bank accounts, PayPal, and cryptocurrency wallets are the most critical. For crypto especially, without the private key or recovery phrase (seed phrase), the funds are permanently lost.

Subscriptions and Streaming Services

Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime, etc. will keep charging until accounts are closed. Your loved ones will need to contact each service individually — a time-consuming process without a prepared list.

The Solution: Prepare Now

Create a Digital Asset Inventory

Start by cataloging all your accounts. For each service, note:

  • The service name and URL
  • Your identifier (email or login)
  • The password or access to your password manager
  • What you want your loved ones to do with the account

Use a Secure Transmission Service

Never leave this list in an unprotected file on your computer or in plain text in an email. Use a specialized tool like EchoPass, which encrypts your information and automatically delivers it to your recipients if you stop logging in for a defined period.

This is the principle of the digital dead man's switch: a silent sentinel watching over your data.

Configure Native Platform Tools

For services that support it (Google, Facebook), set up digital succession settings now. This is a complementary measure but doesn't replace a comprehensive approach.

Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming your loved ones will figure it out: without an inventory, they may spend months searching, contacting each service individually.

Storing passwords unencrypted: an Excel file with your passwords on your desktop is accessible to anyone who uses your computer.

Including credentials in your traditional will: wills often become public during probate.

Not updating regularly: if you change banks, email providers, or passwords, your list must be updated.

Protect Your Loved Ones Today

Managing your accounts after death is an act of kindness toward your loved ones. By preparing a digital will today, you spare them weeks of painful administrative work.

EchoPass lets you centralize your information, encrypt it, and schedule its automatic delivery. Your data is stored in Switzerland, protected by end-to-end encryption, and accessible to no one before the moment you choose.

Create your EchoPass account for free and start protecting your digital legacy today.