Who Will Manage Your Digital Life? A Friendly Guide to Legacy Contacts and Online Estate Planning
- Ashley DeBoard
- Nov 26, 2025
- 4 min read
From Facebook photos to email inboxes, your digital life tells a story—one that deserves just as much care and intention as your home, your finances, or your family heirlooms.
But here’s the twist: if you’re not including your digital accounts in your estate plan, there’s a chance your loved ones might not be able to access—or preserve—that story when it matters most.
Let’s make it easy.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to protect your online legacy using “legacy contact” tools, why your digital life belongs in your estate plan, and how to take simple steps today to spare your family from digital headaches later on.
What Is a Legacy Contact?
Let’s start with Facebook, since it’s one of the most familiar platforms and one of the first to introduce a legacy planning tool.
A legacy contact is someone you choose to manage certain aspects of your social media account after you pass away. Think of it like naming a digital trustee—someone who can carry out your wishes online with sensitivity and care.
On Facebook, this person can:
Write a final message or tribute post
Respond to new friend requests
Update your profile and cover photos
Manage who can post on your memorialized timeline
Request account deletion if that’s your preference
Importantly, they cannot log in as you, read private messages, or make changes to your friend list. It’s about honoring your memory, not impersonating you.
Why This Matters More Than You Might Think
Here’s the thing: our digital presence is a part of our legacy now. Whether it’s your Instagram archive, your Dropbox folders full of photos, or the family recipes you shared on Pinterest, your online life holds meaning. Without a clear plan, your loved ones might be locked out or unsure of what to do.
And it’s not just about social media.
Think about:
Email accounts (which often hold access to bank accounts and bills)
Photo and video storage
Blogs, websites, or YouTube channels
Online banking or investment platforms
Cloud-based documents and family records
Your small business’s digital assets, domains, or client files
All of these are part of your digital estate.
Meet Sara: A Digital Legacy Story
“Sara” was a passionate photographer and mom of two teens. Her phone was full of travel pictures, and she regularly posted heartfelt updates on Facebook and Instagram. When she passed away unexpectedly, her husband and kids wanted to create a memorial slideshow for her celebration of life—but they couldn’t access her accounts. No one had her passwords. Her Instagram was locked. Her cloud storage was full of family videos they couldn’t retrieve.
They eventually pieced things together, but it took weeks—and a lot of heartache.
If Sara had named a legacy contact and included digital access instructions in her estate plan, her family would have had one less thing to worry about during an already difficult time.
How to Set Up Your Digital Legacy Plan
Estate planning doesn’t stop at wills and trusts. Here’s how to bring your digital life into the picture:
1. Make a List of Your Digital Assets
Start with the basics: email accounts, social media, photo storage, streaming services, cloud drives, banking and financial accounts, business logins, and any platforms where you create or store content.
2. Name Legacy Contacts Where Available
Platforms like Facebook, Apple, and Google now let you designate someone to handle your account if you pass away. Search for “legacy contact” or “inactive account manager” in their help centers and follow the simple steps to set it up.
Facebook: Legacy Contact
Google: Inactive Account Manager
Apple: Legacy Contact (you’ll need a passcode and Apple ID access)
Instagram: Can be memorialized, but no legacy contact feature
Dropbox/Cloud services: Policies vary—check their terms
3. Store Logins Securely
Use a password manager to keep your login details safe and accessible to someone you trust. Or, include instructions in a secure estate plan vault or digital inventory.
4. Include Instructions in Your Estate Plan
Work with an estate planning attorney (hi, that’s us!) to make sure your wishes for your digital assets are clearly spelled out and legally backed. This can include access instructions, what should be archived or deleted, and who gets what.
But Wait… Do I Really Need to Do This?
If you’re reading this thinking, “I’m not that online,” remember that most people have at least a few key digital assets that matter—whether that’s your bank’s mobile app, your retirement account login, or a family photo cloud.
And if you are a digital powerhouse—a small business owner managing everything in Google Drive, or someone with an online following—your digital footprint may be one of your most valuable assets. It deserves the same care and intention as your home or retirement plan.
Digital Legacy Across Generations
This is an especially important conversation for:
Seniors: who may have grown children managing online bills or health portals
Parents: who want to preserve memories and access for their children
Business owners: with client records, social accounts, and systems in the cloud
Empowered women: who are organizing finances, photos, and life admin digitally
Whether you’re building a legacy or preserving one, your digital presence is part of your story. Let’s treat it like it matters—because it does.
You’re Not Alone in This
At Flagstaff Law Group, we make estate planning feel connective, not transactional. We’ll help you map out your digital estate, protect your online memories, and give your loved ones clarity and peace of mind.
Let’s take this off your mental to-do list. You bring your questions—we’ll bring the plain-language answers and a touch of “you’ve got this.”
Ready to start? Schedule a free 15 min discovery call with our team!
This article is for educational purposes only and is not specific legal advice. There is no substitute for consulting with an attorney about your specific circumstances.
Bonus: Quick Links to Get Started
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