Most people think of estate planning in terms of property, bank accounts, and heirlooms. Yet our lives are increasingly digital — photos in the cloud, crypto in wallets, creative work stored online, and personal memories in private platforms. Managing digital assets and beneficiaries has become as crucial as writing a will.
Fortunately, platforms like the Evaheld Legacy Vault make it possible to centralise, secure, and assign digital possessions alongside traditional estate plans.
The rise of digital inheritance
A digital asset is any file, account, or piece of information stored electronically that has personal, financial, or sentimental value. According to the National Archives UK Digital Preservation Coalition, these assets now make up nearly half of what families need to retrieve after a death.
Digital assets can include:
- Social media and messaging accounts
- Online banking, crypto, and investment apps
- Subscription services (music, streaming, software)
- Digital art, writing, or intellectual property
- Family photos, videos, and letters stored online
Unlike tangible property, digital assets are protected by platform terms of service, not inheritance law — meaning executors often struggle to access or transfer them without prior arrangement.
Take control of what matters most — set up your free Evaheld Legacy Vault to keep your stories, care wishes, and essential documents safe, organised, and instantly shareable with loved ones and advisers, for life.
Why naming digital beneficiaries matters
When accounts remain unassigned, they can be deleted or locked permanently. Naming digital beneficiaries ensures your photos, writing, and memories survive beyond platform shutdowns.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) highlights that data privacy doesn’t end with death — companies still control access unless you’ve specified permission in advance.
Using Evaheld, you can designate individual digital beneficiaries, granting them timed or conditional access. For instance, one person might inherit creative files, another your photo library, and a third your correspondence.
Step one: take inventory
Start your digital inheritance planning with a full inventory. List all online accounts, storage locations, and access methods. The National Cyber Security Centre UK recommends grouping them into categories: financial, personal, professional, and creative.
You can store this encrypted inventory in Evaheld under Digital Assets Register. Tag each entry with beneficiary names, access levels, and expiration preferences.
Step two: identify your executor’s digital role
A digital executor — or digital custodian — is the person responsible for carrying out your online wishes. Sometimes this is the same person as your main executor; other times it’s a trusted tech-literate friend.
Clarify their authority in your will and reference your vault’s location. The Law Society of England and Wales notes that explicit written consent simplifies access requests when contacting service providers.
Inside your vault, create a folder titled Executor Digital Access Guide, explaining how to contact providers, retrieve files, and distribute assets ethically.
Step three: include digital accounts in your will
Mentioning your vault in your will is essential. Simply naming a digital executor isn’t enough; your will must confirm that they’re permitted to access, manage, and transfer data.
For templates, see the UK Government Make a Will portal, which now encourages including digital accounts explicitly. You can cross-reference this section with your digital legacy vault for transparency.
Step four: distinguish between ownership and licence
Many online purchases — like e-books or iTunes libraries — are licensed, not owned. That means they can’t legally be transferred. The British Library Intellectual Property Office advises families to check each platform’s terms for inheritance rights.
Where transfer isn’t possible, store sentimental copies or screenshots in your vault to preserve the emotional value, even if legal ownership cannot continue.
Step five: manage passwords responsibly
Never write passwords in your will — it becomes public record once probate begins. Instead, store them in an encrypted password manager and include retrieval instructions in your letters of instruction template.
You can link your password-manager recovery key inside Evaheld, granting your executor or digital custodian access only after confirmation of death. This satisfies both security and continuity.
Step six: handle crypto and NFTs with care
Digital currencies and non-fungible tokens are part of your estate, but they’re easily lost if not properly documented. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warns that without private keys or wallet access, crypto assets are unrecoverable.
Record wallet addresses, seed-phrase storage locations, and beneficiaries in a secure section of your vault. Include a brief explanatory note for your executor about each holding.
Step seven: sentimental archives and family media
Photos, videos, and recorded stories hold emotional rather than financial value — but they can mean the most. Pair them with written reflections or videos in your digital legacy vault.
Upload tagged albums such as Wedding Memories 1988 or Letters to Future Grandchildren, assigning permissions for each recipient. This prevents family conflict and ensures your story remains unified.
Bring your family and friends together in one secure place — create your free Evaheld Legacy Vault to share memories, send and receive content requests, and preserve every story safely forever.
Step eight: cross-border storage and privacy
Many online services store data in other countries, subject to different privacy laws. The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) emphasises the need for explicit consent when transferring data internationally.
Document in your vault which services host your data overseas and which privacy frameworks (such as GDPR or equivalent) protect it.
Step nine: philanthropic digital assets
Writers, photographers, and creators may wish to donate digital works to archives or charities. The National Library of Australia Digital Deposit Service accepts certain creative materials for preservation. Include a philanthropy note in your vault explaining why you’ve chosen that destination — reinforcing purpose as part of your philanthropy legacy planning.
Step ten: routine updates and five-year reviews
Technology evolves quickly. Platforms shut down, passwords change, and laws adapt. Every five years — or after major life events — conduct a five-year estate review.
Evaheld allows timed reminders and digital signature verification, ensuring your digital plan evolves alongside your life.
Strategic integration with wider estate planning
A comprehensive digital-asset strategy aligns with your minimal viable estate plan, your will, and your directives. Within Evaheld, these connect seamlessly:
- Your will defines distribution.
- Your directive defines care.
- Your vault unites them with personal context and access control.
If you’re integrating professional legal tools, resources like online will writing complement Evaheld’s secure storage, while advance care planning Australia ensures your health directives align with your digital ethics.
Together, they build a system of continuity — one that speaks in both legal and human terms.
A new inheritance culture
Future generations will not inherit just objects; they’ll inherit data, media, and messages. Managing these responsibly ensures your voice remains part of your family’s living memory.
Upload your first inventory today, tag your beneficiaries, and link your executor to your digital legacy vault. The peace of knowing nothing will be lost is, itself, a legacy.
Future-Proof Your Legacy: Stories, Wishes, and Documents in One Secure Vault
Your life is a rich tapestry of stories, relationships, and intentions. The Evaheld Legacy Vault is the dedicated platform to protect it all, giving your family the priceless gift of clarity, connection, and peace of mind for generations to come.
And you're never on your own. Charli, your dedicated AI Legacy Preservation Assistant, is there to guide you. From the moment you start your Vault, Charli provides personalised support—helping you set up your account, inviting family members, sending content requests, and articulating your stories and care wishes with empathy and clarity.
Take control of your legacy today. Your free Evaheld Legacy Vault is the secure home for your most precious assets—ensuring your family memories, advance care plans, and vital documents are organised, safe, and instantly shareable.
Take control of what matters most — set up your free Evaheld Legacy Vault to keep your stories, care wishes, and essential documents safe, organised, and instantly shareable with loved ones and advisers, for life.
1. Preserve Your Family’s Living Story & History
Transform your memories into a timeless family archive that future generations can truly experience. Within the Evaheld Legacy Vault, you can record videos, capture photos, write reflections, and create Legacy Letters — weaving together the laughter, lessons, and love that define your family’s identity.
Preserve more than moments: build a living digital time capsule where your heritage, traditions, and wisdom are safe, searchable, and shareable. From everyday memories to milestone events, your family’s story will remain a permanent bridge between generations — a place your loved ones can return to whenever they need comfort, connection, or inspiration.
2. Secure Your Care & Health Wishes
Ensure your voice is heard when it matters most. With the Evaheld Legacy Vault, you can create and store a digital Advance Care Directive, record your healthcare preferences, and legally appoint your Medical Decision Maker. Grant secure, instant access to family and clinicians, and link it all to your Emergency QR Access Card for first responders—ensuring your wishes are always honored.
Watch our Founder's Story to learn why we’re so passionate about Legacy Preservation and Advance Care Planning
3. Protect Your Essential Documents with Bank-Grade Security
Consolidate your critical records in one bank-grade encrypted vault. Safely store your will, power of attorney, insurance policies, and financial documents with precise permission controls. Never worry about lost, damaged, or inaccessible paperwork again. Your documents are organised and available only to those you explicitly trust.
4. Strengthen Family Bonds with Your Living, Collaborative Legacy
Transform your Legacy Vault from a static archive into a living, breathing family hub that actively deepens connections across generations and distances. This is where your legacy is built together, in real-time.
Let Charli, Your AI Legacy Preservation Assistant, Be Your Collaboration Catalyst. Charli proactively helps your family connect and create. She can suggest content requests, prompt family members to share specific memories, and help organise contributions—making it effortless for everyone to participate in building your shared story.
Create private or shared Family Rooms to connect with loved ones, carers, and trusted advisors. Within these Rooms, you can:
- Share precious memories as they happen, making your Vault a dynamic, growing timeline of your family's life.
- Send and fulfill collaborative content requests, ensuring you preserve exactly what your family cherishes most—from that funny holiday story to cherished family recipes.
- Schedule future-dated messages for birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones, allowing you to offer wisdom, love, and connection for years to come.
Evaheld is more than a digital vault; it's your family's private collaboration platform for intergenerational storytelling. It’s the simplest way to ensure every voice is heard, every memory is captured, and every bond is strengthened—today and for the future.
Start Your Free Evaheld Legacy Vault in Minutes
Join thousands of families who have found peace of mind. Setting up your free, permanent Vault is quick and simple.
- Safeguard your story for future generations.
- Ensure your care wishes are respected.
- Shield essential documents from loss and ensure instant, secure access.
The Best 3 Resources to Get Started
- Create Your Legacy Statement in 10 Minutes Flat
- Prevent Family Conflict with Our Legacy Kit
- Get Inspired: See Powerful Ethical Will Examples
Our Commitment: No One Left Behind
Evaheld believes that every story deserves to be protected, without exception. Our "Connection is All We Have" Hardship Program ensures that financial circumstances are never a barrier to legacy preservation and advance care planning.
If you are facing financial hardship, contact our team to learn how we can provide a free Vault. We are here to help you secure what matters most.
Learn More About Evaheld’s Hardship Support Program
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