What to Include in Your Digital Vault

When someone passes away, their loved ones often face an overwhelming task: locating important documents, understanding financial accounts, and accessing necessary information—all while grieving. Your digital vault can eliminate this burden by organizing everything your family will need in one secure, accessible place.

This guide will help you think through what to include and how to organize it effectively.

Essential Documents

Start with the documents your family will need immediately or in the near term:

• Will and estate planning documents (or their locations)
• Life insurance policies and contact information
• Social Security information
• Birth certificate location
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Military discharge papers (DD214) if applicable
• Passport location
• Vehicle titles and registration
• Property deeds or mortgage information

Financial Information

Financial accounts are often the most time-consuming for families to locate and manage. Include:

• Bank account information (institution names and account numbers)
• Investment and retirement accounts (401k, IRA, brokerage accounts)
• Pension information and contacts
• Credit card accounts (for cancellation)
• Loan information and payment details
• Regular bills and payment schedules
• Tax preparer contact information and document locations
• Safe deposit box information

Consider including a general overview of your financial situation—not necessarily specific dollar amounts, but enough context for your family to understand and manage your affairs.

Digital Accounts and Assets

Our digital lives have become significant, and managing digital accounts after someone passes can be surprisingly complex:

• Email account credentials (especially the primary email used for other account recovery)
• Social media accounts and your preferences for memorialization
• Cloud storage accounts (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox)
• Subscription services that should be cancelled
• Domain names or websites you own
• Cryptocurrency wallets and access information
• Digital purchases (iTunes, Kindle, gaming accounts)
• Photo storage accounts

Many platforms now have legacy contact or memorialization features. Consider setting these up and including information in your vault about your preferences.

Healthcare Information

Include information that might be needed if you become incapacitated or for estate management:

• Health insurance information
• Medicare/Medicaid information if applicable
• Primary care physician contact
• List of current medications
• Healthcare power of attorney
• Living will / advance directive
• Organ donation preferences
• Medical history summary (allergies, conditions, surgeries)

Contacts and Service Providers

Your family will need to contact various people and organizations. Make it easy for them:

• Attorney contact information
• Financial advisor / accountant
• Insurance agent(s)
• Employer HR contact (for benefits, final paycheck)
• Religious or spiritual leader (for services)
• Landlord or property manager if applicable
• People to notify (that might not be in your regular contacts)

Personal Messages

Beyond practical information, your vault is a place to store messages of love and guidance:

• Personal letters to specific family members
• Messages for future occasions (weddings, graduations, births)
• Ethical will—your values, life lessons, hopes for your family
• Explanations of family heirlooms and their significance
• Family recipes and traditions you want preserved
• Apologies or reconciliations you want to express
• Words of encouragement for specific challenges you foresee

"The letter my mother left for my wedding day is my most treasured possession. She passed two years before I got married, but her words were there with me. I carry them everywhere."

Funeral and Memorial Preferences

Spare your family from having to guess about your preferences:

• Burial vs. cremation preference
• Funeral or memorial service preferences
• Specific requests (songs, readings, speakers)
• Obituary draft or key points to include
• Prepaid funeral arrangements if applicable
• Preferences for charitable donations in lieu of flowers
• Final resting place preferences

Organizing Your Vault

LifeDraft provides categories to help organize your vault, but here are some additional tips:

• Use clear, descriptive titles for each entry
• Set appropriate release rules—some items may need to be available immediately, others can wait
• Designate specific recipients for personal messages
• Review and update your vault at least annually
• Let your executor know the vault exists and how to access it

Getting Started

Don't try to complete your vault in one sitting. Start with the most critical items—essential documents and financial overview—then gradually add more over time.

Think of your vault as a living document. As accounts change, life circumstances evolve, and you think of new things to add, return and update it. The peace of mind of knowing your affairs are organized is a gift both to yourself and to your loved ones.