A: Yes, you need to address your digital assets in your estate plan. Federal laws generally prohibit online account service providers from granting access to your electronic communications to anyone other than you without your legal consent. That means that email providers, social media sites, or other companies may refuse to grant your family access to your photos, email, or other information stored on your digital accounts. If you want to be sure that your family can access your online information and retain photos and other important items you may have stored digitally, you can give your executor, agent, and trustee the authority to access your digital assets in your estate planning documents. Other digital assets may require more careful planning. An experienced estate planning attorney can help you address your digital assets in your estate plan.
Q: Do I need to provide for my digital assets in my estate plan? Will my family be able to access my online accounts and assets after my death?
