How can you safely include digital assets and passwords in a traditional paper will?

To safely include digital assets in a traditional will, add a broad RUFADAA access clause granting your executor administrative rights, but store actual passwords in a secure encrypted delivery, referencing only the vault's existence in the public paper will — never include credentials in a document that becomes public record through probate.

The biggest mistake people make when adding digital assets to their will is including too much information. A will becomes a public document during probate — anyone can request a copy from the court. If your will contains passwords, seed phrases, or security questions, that information becomes publicly accessible to identity thieves, scammers, and anyone curious enough to visit the courthouse.

The safe approach is to split your digital estate plan into two layers: • The will (public): Legal authority and high-level instructions • The ZeroLatch vault (private): Actual credentials and detailed access procedures

This separation ensures your executor has the legal authority they need while keeping your secrets actually secret.

Use our Death Audit Checklist to separate your public assets from private security vaults.

The digital asset clause template for your will

Work with your estate attorney to include language like the following in your will or codicil:

"DIGITAL ASSETS AND ELECTRONIC RECORDS

I grant my Executor full authority to access, manage, control, transfer, archive, distribute, or delete any and all digital assets, online accounts, electronic communications, and digitally stored property belonging to my estate, including but not limited to email accounts, social media accounts, financial accounts, cryptocurrency wallets, cloud storage accounts, domain names, websites, online businesses, software licenses, digital intellectual property, and any other digital or electronic assets, pursuant to the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA) or applicable state law.

I expressly authorize my Executor to access the content of my electronic communications, as required under RUFADAA, including email, text messages, direct messages, and other electronic communications.

I direct my Executor to: (a) Access and secure my email accounts (b) Memorialize or delete my social media accounts as specified in my separate written instructions (c) Transfer or liquidate my cryptocurrency holdings as specified in my separate written instructions (d) Transfer, sell, or wind down any online businesses as specified in my separate written instructions (e) Cancel all unused subscriptions and recurring online payments (f) Delete or archive sensitive personal data from cloud storage accounts

My digital asset credentials, passwords, access keys, and detailed instructions are stored in a secure encrypted digital vault. My Executor may obtain access to this vault through [vault provider name] or by following the instructions stored in [sealed envelope location]. The contents of this vault are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth in this Will.

If I have designated a separate Digital Executor, my traditional Executor shall coordinate with my Digital Executor regarding all matters relating to digital assets."

What to store in your ZeroLatch vault (the private layer)

Your ZeroLatch vault contains everything your executor needs to actually access and manage your digital assets:

Credentials: • Email account passwords and 2FA backup codes • Social media login credentials • Banking and financial platform access • Cryptocurrency seed phrases, wallet PINs, and exchange credentials • Cloud storage account access (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox) • Domain registrar and DNS management credentials • Business account credentials (Stripe, AWS, GitHub)

Instructions: • Which social media accounts to memorialize vs. delete • Which crypto holdings to transfer to whom • What to do with online businesses (keep, sell, wind down) • Which subscriptions to cancel • What sensitive data to delete from cloud storage • Contact information for your attorney, accountant, and digital executor

Legal references: • A copy of the digital asset clause from your will • Your attorney's contact information • Your digital executor's contact information (if different from traditional executor) • A statement that the vault contents are intended to fulfill the provisions of your legally executed will

The critical separation: • Your will says "I have a vault at ZeroLatch and my executor is authorized to access it" • Your ZeroLatch vault says "here are the passwords and instructions" • Neither document alone is sufficient — the will provides authority, the vault provides access • Together, they create a complete, secure, and legally sound digital estate plan

Configure your ZeroLatch dead man's switch to deliver the vault to your executor after 14-30 days of verified inactivity. Share the vault Private-mode recovery code with your executor in person or via a sealed envelope stored with your estate documents. Never send the password electronically.