Digital Access Plan: Account Inventory Checklist

Session 1: Financial Accounts (Week 1)

These accounts often have the most immediate impact on your family. Start here.

Primary bank accounts

• Checking accounts
• Savings accounts
• Money market accounts
• CDs and time deposits

Investment accounts

• 401(k) and employer plans
• IRAs (Traditional, Roth, SEP)
• Brokerage accounts
• Stock plans (ESPP, RSUs)

Credit and lending accounts

• Credit cards
• Mortgage accounts
• Auto loans
• Personal loans
• Lines of credit
• Home equity loans

Insurance accounts

• Health insurance portals
• Life insurance accounts
• Auto insurance
• Homeowner's/renter's insurance
• Disability insurance
• Long-term care insurance

Tax and government accounts

• IRS account
• State tax accounts
• Social Security online account
• Medicare account

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Session 2: Communication and Social Accounts (Week 2)

Your family may need to access these to notify contacts or preserve memories.

Email accounts

• Primary personal email
• Work email (if applicable)
• Secondary/spam email
• Shared family email

Social media accounts

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter/X
• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• Pinterest
• Snapchat
• Other platforms

Communication tools

• WhatsApp
• Messenger
• Skype
• Zoom
• Slack
• Discord
• Telegram

Photo and video storage

• Google Photos
• iCloud Photos
• Amazon Photos
• Dropbox
• Flickr
• SmugMug
• External hard drives (note location)

Session 3: Utilities and Services (Week 3)

Your executor will need to manage or cancel these accounts.

Home services

• Electricity/gas
• Water/sewer
• Internet service
• Cable/satellite TV
• Streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, etc.)
• Home security systems
• Smart home devices (Ring, Nest, etc.)

Phone services

• Mobile phone carrier
• Landline service
• VoIP services

Subscription services

• Amazon Prime
• Costco/Sam's Club
• Newspaper/magazine subscriptions
• Meal delivery services
• Software subscriptions
• Gaming services

Cloud storage and backup

• Google Drive
• iCloud
• Dropbox
• Microsoft OneDrive
• Backblaze or other backup services

Session 4: Professional and Personal Accounts (Week 4)

These complete the picture of your digital life.

Professional accounts

• Professional associations
• Continuing education platforms
• Certification bodies
• Freelance/platform accounts (Upwork, Fiverr)

Shopping and retail accounts

• Amazon
• eBay
• Major retailers (Target, Walmart, etc.)
• Grocery delivery (Instacart, etc.)
• Pharmacy accounts (CVS, Walgreens)

Travel accounts

• Airline frequent flyer programs
• Hotel loyalty programs
• Car rental programs
• Booking sites (Expedia, Booking.com)
• Rideshare apps (Uber, Lyft)

Cryptocurrency and digital assets

• Exchange accounts (Coinbase, etc.)
• Wallet locations and recovery phrases
• NFT platforms
• Note: These require special handling

Website and domain accounts

• Domain registrars
• Web hosting accounts
• Email hosting
• Website builders

Documenting Access Information

For each account, document the following:

• Account name/platform
• Username/email used
• Password location (refer to password manager, not the actual password)
• Two-factor authentication method
• Security questions and answers
• Special instructions (e.g., "Call bank before attempting login")

How to Use This Checklist in 4 Sessions

Session 1 (Week 1): Financial accounts. These are highest priority and often most time-sensitive.

Session 2 (Week 2): Communication and social accounts. Your family will need access to notify contacts and preserve memories.

Session 3 (Week 3): Utilities and services. Your executor needs to know what to cancel or maintain.

Session 4 (Week 4): Professional and personal accounts. Complete the inventory of your digital footprint.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Password security mistakes

• Writing passwords directly in this checklist (use a password manager)
• Not updating the inventory when passwords change
• Storing the only copy in a location no one knows about
• Not including two-factor authentication information

Account identification mistakes

• Forgetting about infrequently used accounts
• Not noting which email is used for each account
• Omitting employer-sponsored accounts
• Forgetting about auto-renewing subscriptions

Communication failures

• Not telling anyone this inventory exists
• Not explaining how to access the password manager
• Not reviewing and updating annually
• Keeping it in a location that requires the information to access

Important Security Notes

Use a password manager:

• Store all passwords in a secure password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, etc.)
• Document the master password location separately
• Enable emergency access features if available
• Share the location of password information with your executor

Physical security:

• Store this checklist in a secure but accessible location
• A safe deposit box may be too difficult to access quickly
• Consider giving a copy to your executor or attorney
• Update annually or when major changes occur

Legal considerations:

• Check your state's laws regarding digital asset access
• Some platforms have specific legacy contact features
• Consider adding digital asset language to your will
• Facebook and Google allow legacy contact designation

Platform-Specific Legacy Options

Google: Set up an Inactive Account Manager to share data after a period of inactivity.

Facebook: Designate a Legacy Contact who can manage your memorialized account.

Apple: Add a Legacy Contact to your Apple ID for account access.

Microsoft: Use the Microsoft Next of Kin process for account access.

Twitter/X: Family can request account deletion with proper documentation.

Additional Resources

For help with social media accounts after death: How to Memorialize or Close Social Media Accounts After Death

For organizing your complete estate: Documents Needed When Someone Dies: A Complete Guide

Remember: This checklist is about helping your loved ones, not about perfection. Do what you can and know that even partial information is better than none.