A generation ago, "settling an estate" meant paperwork, keys, and physical property. Today it also means email accounts, cloud photo libraries, cryptocurrency wallets, and payment apps — and most of these don't come with a clear instruction manual for what to do when the account holder has died. Here's a practical breakdown by account type.
Why this category is different from the rest of the checklist
Most tasks after a death — closing a bank account, canceling a subscription — follow an established process, because financial institutions deal with deaths constantly. Digital accounts are newer territory: policies vary widely between companies, and some accounts (particularly cryptocurrency) may be genuinely unrecoverable without specific information the account holder had.
Email and cloud storage
Email is often the master key to everything else — many other accounts use it for password resets, so it's worth prioritizing.
- If you have the password, you can typically log in directly, though check the provider's terms first — accessing someone else's account, even a deceased relative's, can technically violate some providers' terms of service without going through their official process.
- If you don't have the password, most major providers (Google, Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo) have a formal legacy or deceased-user process, usually requiring a death certificate and proof of your relationship or executor status. These processes exist specifically for this situation — see Apple's Legacy Contact process and Google's Inactive Account Manager for the two most common examples.
- Cloud storage and photos (Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox) are often tied to the same account as email, so resolving email access frequently resolves this too.
Cryptocurrency
This is the account type most likely to be permanently lost, and it's worth understanding why before you start searching.
- Cryptocurrency held in a personal wallet (not an exchange) is typically accessible only with the private key or seed phrase. If the deceased didn't record this somewhere and share it, the funds may be genuinely unrecoverable — there's no customer service line to call, since it's not held by any company.
- Cryptocurrency held on an exchange (like Coinbase) works more like a traditional financial account — the exchange typically has a documented process for next of kin, similar to a bank.
- If you're searching for crypto holdings you suspect exist but can't locate, check for hardware wallets (small USB-like devices), written seed phrases in a safe or safe deposit box, and password manager entries.
Payment apps with a balance
PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, and similar apps often hold real money and have their own next-of-kin or estate claim processes, generally requiring a death certificate. Check each app's support documentation directly, since specific requirements vary and change over time.
Social media accounts
Most major platforms offer two options: memorialization (the account remains visible, often with a note indicating the person has passed, and can't be logged into) or deletion, upon request with proof of death. Which is appropriate is a personal and family decision — some families find a memorialized account meaningful, others find it painful to encounter.
Domain names and monetized content
If the deceased owned a website domain, ran a blog, or had a monetized YouTube channel or similar, these have real (sometimes significant) value and their own transfer processes through the registrar or platform — this is easy to overlook amid everything else, but worth including on your list if it applies.
A practical starting point
- Make a list of accounts you know or suspect existed — check the person's email inbox for account confirmations and password reset emails, which often reveal accounts you didn't know about
- Check for a password manager — if the deceased used one, it may be the single fastest way to access everything at once
- Prioritize accounts holding money (crypto, payment apps, brokerage) over accounts holding sentimental value (photos, social media) if you're working with limited time or energy
- Keep a death certificate on hand — nearly every formal digital-asset process requires one
This is just one category of a larger checklist. For everything else that needs handling after a death, see our complete first-30-days guide.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to someone's email if no one has the password? Major providers have a formal process for next of kin or an executor to request access or account closure, typically requiring a death certificate. Response times and exact requirements vary by provider.
Can I access a deceased person's cryptocurrency without their password? Only if it's held on an exchange, which has its own account-recovery process. Cryptocurrency in a personal, self-custodied wallet generally cannot be recovered without the private key or seed phrase — there's no company to contact.
Should I memorialize or delete a deceased person's social media account? There's no universally right answer — it's a personal decision, and different family members may feel differently about it. Most platforms let you choose either option with proof of death.
Sources
Digital assets are one piece of a much larger picture. Answer a few questions and After Atlas will build a checklist covering everything relevant to your specific situation.