The best examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples for 2025

Let’s start with what you actually came for: clear, modern examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples you can show your lawyer. These are written in straightforward, U.S.-style will language, but they’re still just illustrations, not legal advice.

Example of a simple, all‑purpose digital assets clause

This is the kind of catch‑all clause that works for most people who use email, social media, streaming, and cloud storage but don’t run a big online business.

Sample Clause – General Digital Assets
I give my Personal Representative (Executor) the authority to access, manage, control, archive, delete, and transfer all of my Digital Assets and Digital Accounts, including but not limited to email accounts, social media accounts, cloud storage, subscription services, domain names, and digital photographs and videos. My Personal Representative may act as my “authorized user” under any applicable terms of service and may consent to or request disclosure of the contents of my electronic communications to the fullest extent permitted by law, including under any state or federal digital assets or privacy statutes.

I direct my Personal Representative to preserve my personal photographs and family history materials where reasonably possible and to share copies with my family members in their discretion.

This is one of the best examples for someone with a typical online footprint. It’s broad enough to cover new platforms that may show up after you sign the will.

Focused example of a digital executor clause

Many people now name a specific “digital executor” who understands tech and can work alongside the main executor.

Sample Clause – Appointment of Digital Assets Representative
I appoint my [Digital Assets Representative], who may be the same person as my Personal Representative or a different person, to manage my Digital Assets and Digital Accounts. If my Digital Assets Representative is different from my Personal Representative, my Digital Assets Representative shall work in coordination with my Personal Representative and shall follow my Personal Representative’s instructions regarding the disposition of my estate.

My Digital Assets Representative shall have the authority to: (a) access and manage my Digital Accounts; (b) reset passwords; (c) request copies of, or the termination of, my Digital Accounts; (d) download and preserve digital files, including photographs, videos, and documents; and (e) carry out any written instructions I leave regarding my Digital Assets, including any separate digital asset memorandum.

If you’re comparing different examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples, this one stands out because it clearly splits tech work from financial work, which can reduce stress for a non‑tech‑savvy executor.

Best examples of clauses for social media, email, and cloud storage

Now let’s get more specific. These examples include targeted language for the platforms most people use every day.

Social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok)

Sample Clause – Social Media Accounts
I authorize my Personal Representative or Digital Assets Representative to access, manage, and control all of my social media accounts, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, LinkedIn, and any successor platforms. My representative may request memorialization, deactivation, or deletion of my accounts, download and preserve content, and communicate with the platform provider regarding my accounts.

I request, but do not require, that my Personal Representative download and share with my family a reasonable selection of photographs, videos, and messages of personal significance before deleting or memorializing my accounts.

This is a concrete example of how you can move beyond generic language like “all my accounts” and actually name the platforms that matter to you.

Email and cloud data (Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox)

Sample Clause – Email and Cloud Storage
I authorize my Personal Representative or Digital Assets Representative to access, read, manage, and, in their discretion, delete or preserve the contents of my email accounts and cloud storage accounts, including but not limited to Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox.

My representative may request disclosure of the contents of my electronic communications and files to the fullest extent allowed by applicable law, including any laws modeled on the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA). I request that personal correspondence and family photographs be preserved and shared with my family where reasonably practical.

If you compare different examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples online, you’ll notice that many skip over the legal reference. Mentioning RUFADAA (or your local equivalent) signals that your executor should use those statutes where available.

Examples include crypto, NFTs, and online investment platforms

Digital wealth is where things get sensitive. If you own cryptocurrency, NFTs, or online brokerage accounts, you need more than a vague reference to “online assets.”

Crypto wallets and exchanges

Sample Clause – Cryptocurrency and Digital Wallets
I give my Personal Representative or Digital Assets Representative authority to access, secure, manage, and transfer any cryptocurrency, tokens, or other blockchain‑based assets that I own at my death, whether held in custodial accounts (such as cryptocurrency exchanges) or non‑custodial wallets (such as hardware or software wallets).

My representative may locate, access, and use any hardware wallets, seed phrases, passphrases, or other credentials I have stored, and may communicate with any exchange or service provider to transfer or liquidate such assets as part of the administration of my estate. I may leave a separate memorandum with instructions and access information; such memorandum may be updated by me from time to time and shall be treated as an expression of my wishes, even if it does not meet the formal requirements for a codicil.

Given the rise in crypto ownership in the U.S. (recent surveys in 2024 show double‑digit percentages of adults holding some form of digital asset), this is one of the best examples to show a lawyer if you hold any crypto at all.

Online brokerage and robo‑advisor accounts

Sample Clause – Online Investment Platforms
I authorize my Personal Representative to access, manage, and transfer any investment or brokerage accounts that I hold with online platforms or robo‑advisors, including but not limited to Robinhood, E*TRADE, Fidelity, Schwab, Betterment, Wealthfront, or similar services. My Personal Representative may communicate with such institutions, provide any required documentation, and take all actions necessary to value, transfer, or liquidate such accounts for the benefit of my estate and beneficiaries.

This example of a digital assets clause focuses on financial platforms that may not send paper statements, which means your executor might not even know they exist unless they have digital access.

Real examples for online businesses, content, and AI‑generated work

Digital assets are no longer just files; they’re income streams. Think Etsy shops, YouTube channels, Substack newsletters, or even AI‑generated content libraries.

Online stores and creator accounts

Sample Clause – Online Businesses and Monetized Accounts
I authorize my Personal Representative to access, operate, sell, or wind down any online businesses or monetized accounts that I own or control at my death, including but not limited to online stores (such as Etsy, Amazon, or Shopify), content channels (such as YouTube, Twitch, or podcast platforms), blogs, newsletters, and subscription services (such as Patreon or Substack).

My Personal Representative may collect any income owed, enter into or terminate contracts as reasonably necessary, and transfer any associated intellectual property, domain names, and customer lists to my beneficiaries or to a purchaser, consistent with the overall administration of my estate.

This is one of the most practical examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples for influencers, streamers, and small online business owners who want their brand or revenue to survive them—or be shut down cleanly.

AI‑generated content and digital libraries (2024–2025 trend)

In 2024–2025, more people are building entire libraries of AI‑generated art, writing, and code. Even if the copyright landscape continues to evolve, you can still direct how those files and accounts are handled.

Sample Clause – Digital Content Libraries and AI‑Generated Works
I authorize my Personal Representative to access, manage, and transfer any digital content libraries that I own, including but not limited to e‑books, digital music, video libraries, design files, source code repositories, and AI‑generated content or prompts stored on any platform.

To the extent I own any rights in such content, I give such rights to my beneficiaries as part of my residuary estate. I understand that some digital content may be licensed on a non‑transferable basis, and I authorize my Personal Representative to work with the relevant service providers to determine what may legally be transferred or shared.

This is a realistic example of how to acknowledge that some content (like Kindle books) is licensed, not owned, while still giving your executor a roadmap.

Bringing it together: a longer example of a sample will with digital assets clause section

To see how these ideas fit together, here’s a stitched‑together, longer example of a digital assets article you might see in a modern will. Again, this is illustrative only.

Article X – Digital Assets and Digital Accounts

1. Definition. As used in this Will, “Digital Assets and Digital Accounts” include any online or electronic accounts, files, or information, whether stored on my own devices or on remote servers, including email accounts, social media accounts, cloud storage accounts, domain names, blogs, websites, online stores, cryptocurrency and digital wallets, online banking and investment accounts, subscription services, and any similar accounts or assets that may exist now or in the future.

2. Authority of Personal Representative. I give my Personal Representative all powers permitted by law to access, manage, control, archive, delete, and transfer my Digital Assets and Digital Accounts. My Personal Representative may act as my authorized user, may reset passwords, and may request disclosure of the contents of my electronic communications to the fullest extent allowed by applicable law, including any state law modeled on the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA).

3. Appointment of Digital Assets Representative. I may, in this Will or in a separate writing, appoint a Digital Assets Representative to assist my Personal Representative with the administration of my Digital Assets and Digital Accounts. If appointed, my Digital Assets Representative shall have authority to act with respect to my Digital Assets and Digital Accounts, subject to the direction and control of my Personal Representative.

4. Instructions and Memoranda. I may leave separate written instructions or memoranda concerning my Digital Assets and Digital Accounts, including lists of accounts, usernames, and any preferences regarding memorialization, deletion, or transfer. My Personal Representative shall consider such instructions as an expression of my wishes, even if they do not meet the formal requirements for a codicil, but shall not be legally bound by them if following them would be impracticable or inconsistent with the administration of my estate.

5. Privacy and Confidentiality. I recognize that my Digital Assets and Digital Accounts may contain personal and confidential information. I authorize my Personal Representative to review and, in their discretion, delete or withhold from disclosure any content that they believe would cause unnecessary distress, invade the privacy of third parties, or otherwise be inappropriate to share.

If you’re comparing multiple examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples, this kind of multi‑paragraph article is what many estate planning attorneys are now building into standard will packages.

Legal context and 2024–2025 trends you should know

The law has been trying to catch up to technology for more than a decade. A few points to keep in mind as you evaluate the best examples for your own will:

• Many U.S. states have adopted some version of the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA), which gives executors specific rights to access digital assets if the will or power of attorney clearly authorizes it. You can read about RUFADAA on the Uniform Law Commission’s site: https://www.uniformlaws.org/committees/community-home?CommunityKey=2c04b76c-2b7d-4399-977e-d5876ba7e034
• Some platforms (Google, Apple, Facebook, etc.) offer built‑in legacy tools that may override or supplement your will instructions. For example, Google’s Inactive Account Manager lets you choose who can access certain data if your account goes inactive.
• In 2024–2025, more estate planning attorneys are asking detailed intake questions about digital property—crypto holdings, online businesses, even loyalty points—because families keep discovering “hidden” value after someone dies.

If you want to go beyond these examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples, consider reading general estate planning materials from sources like:

• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) overview on managing someone else’s money: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/managing-someone-elses-money/
• The USA.gov guide on wills and estate planning basics: https://www.usa.gov/wills

These won’t give you ready‑made clauses, but they will help you understand the bigger picture.

Practical tips for using these examples in your own will

You’ve seen a lot of language. Here’s how to use it intelligently.

• Treat every example as a starting point. The examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples here are designed to be discussed with a lawyer, not copied blindly.
• Make a separate inventory of your digital life: major email accounts, social media, cloud storage, crypto wallets, online banks, investment platforms, subscriptions, and any online businesses. Store this securely, and update it at least annually.
• Use platform‑specific tools where they exist. For instance, Apple’s Digital Legacy and Google’s Inactive Account Manager can work alongside your will and give your executor smoother access.
• Be realistic about privacy. If there are accounts or files you absolutely do not want anyone to see, clean them up during your lifetime. No clause can fully fix that after the fact.

The more specific you are, the easier you make life for your executor and your family.

FAQ: real‑world questions about digital asset clauses

Q1: Can you give an example of a very short digital assets clause I can show my lawyer?
Yes. Here is a minimalist example of a digital assets clause:

I give my Personal Representative authority to access, manage, control, delete, and transfer all of my Digital Assets and Digital Accounts, including email, social media, cloud storage, online financial accounts, and any other electronic accounts or files, and to request disclosure of the contents of my electronic communications to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Your attorney can expand this, but it’s a clean starting example of the concept.

Q2: Are these examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples valid in every state or country?
No. They are illustrations only. Different U.S. states and other countries have different statutes about executor access to digital property and electronic communications. Always have a local attorney adapt any example of clause language to your jurisdiction.

Q3: Do I really need a separate “digital executor”?
Not always, but it can help. If your main executor isn’t comfortable with technology and you have a complex digital footprint (crypto, online stores, content channels), naming a tech‑savvy friend or relative as a digital assets representative can be practical. Many of the best examples of modern wills now include this option.

Q4: Where can I learn more about the law on digital assets for executors?
For a deeper legal overview, look at:

• The Uniform Law Commission’s RUFADAA page (linked above).
• Educational content from law schools and bar associations, such as materials hosted by universities like Harvard Law School: https://hls.harvard.edu/library/research/wills-trusts-and-estates/

These sources won’t give you plug‑and‑play examples of clauses, but they explain why the language in your will matters.

Q5: Should I put my passwords or seed phrases directly in my will?
Generally, no. Wills can become public during probate. A better approach is to keep access information in a secure password manager or offline document and then use one of these examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples to authorize your executor to use that information. Your lawyer can help you design a secure, practical system.

None of this replaces legal advice. But if you walk into your attorney’s office with these examples of sample will with digital assets clause examples in hand—and a clear inventory of your online life—you’re already ahead of most people planning their estates in 2025.