A digital vault is most helpful when it holds the information your loved ones will really need, not just a bunch of scanned documents.
A major challenge when setting up a digital vault is figuring out what to include.
What you include depends on your situation, but most people find it helpful to organize information into a few main categories.
You don’t have to upload every document. Sometimes a list of accounts, contact details, or directions for finding the original document is all you need.
1. Estate Planning and Legal Documents
Your estate planning documents are among the most important records to organize.
Consider including:
- Wills and trusts
- Durable powers of attorney
- Healthcare powers of attorney
- Advance healthcare directives
- Living wills
- Beneficiary designation records
- Marriage, divorce, and adoption records
- Contact information for your attorney
Important: An electronic copy may be useful for reference, but it may not replace the legally required original. Ask your estate planning attorney where original documents should be kept.
2. Financial Accounts and Assets
Your family may need to identify assets even if they cannot immediately access the accounts.
Consider maintaining an inventory of:
- Checking and savings accounts
- Certificates of deposit
- Brokerage and investment accounts
- IRAs and employer retirement plans
- Pensions and annuities
- Real estate holdings
- Business ownership interests
- Valuable personal property
- Safe deposit boxes
For each account, note the bank or company, the type of account, who owns it, and contact information.
You usually don’t need to include full account numbers in your main list. Only store very sensitive details where you have strong security in place.
3. Insurance and Benefits
Insurance information is especially important during emergencies and after death.
Consider organizing:
- Life insurance policies
- Health insurance coverage
- Medicare and supplemental coverage
- Long-term care insurance
- Homeowners and renters insurance
- Automobile insurance
- Disability coverage
- Pension survivor benefits
- Veterans benefits
Add policy numbers if needed, the insurance company’s contact details, and steps for making a claim.
4. Debts and Ongoing Financial Obligations
A digital vault should help your family see both what you own and what you owe.
Include information about:
- Mortgages
- Home equity loans
- Vehicle loans
- Credit cards
- Personal loans
- Property taxes
- Utility accounts
- Insurance premiums
- Memberships and recurring subscriptions
List any automatic payments and which accounts they come from.
This can help your family avoid missed payments and extra costs during a tough time.
5. Digital Accounts and Online Assets
Today, our digital lives often hold information that’s just as important as paper records.
Consider inventorying:
- Email accounts
- Cloud storage accounts
- Social media profiles
- Online banking and investment services
- Subscription services
- Website domains and hosting accounts
- Online businesses
- Digital photographs and family videos
- Cryptocurrency and other digital assets
For each service, note what it’s for and whether it offers a way for someone else to access it in an emergency.
Be extra careful with passwords, passkeys, crypto recovery phrases, and backup codes. Using a password manager or keeping them offline is usually safer than putting them in a regular document.
6. Healthcare and Medical Information
If there’s a medical emergency, your family might need quick access to important health information.
Depending on your circumstances, consider including:
- Healthcare directives
- Emergency contacts
- Physician and specialist information
- Medication lists
- Allergies
- Health insurance information
- Medical equipment and care instructions
- Long-term care preferences
Avoid collecting or sharing detailed medical records unless necessary. Give access only to people who need the information.
7. Important People and Contacts
Your digital vault should have a list of people who might need to be contacted.
Examples include:
- Spouse or partner
- Children and close relatives
- Executor or personal representative
- Estate planning attorney
- Financial adviser
- Accountant or tax preparer
- Insurance agents
- Healthcare representatives
- Trusted neighbors or friends
Add their names, roles, and up-to-date contact details.
8. Final Wishes and Personal Instructions
Some important things aren’t financial or legal.
You may want to include:
- Funeral or memorial preferences
- Burial or cremation instructions
- Religious or cultural preferences
- Pet care arrangements
- Personal letters
- Family history
- Instructions for sentimental possessions
- Locations of photographs and keepsakes
These instructions can help your loved ones feel more at ease and clear, even if they aren’t legally binding.
What Should You Avoid Storing?
Don’t put everything into a single file that isn’t protected.
Be cautious about storing:
- Passwords in unencrypted documents
- Cryptocurrency seed phrases
- Complete identity information without adequate protection
- Authentication recovery codes
- Sensitive records that other authorized users do not need
- Information belonging to other people without appropriate permission
Keep general estate details separate from your most sensitive passwords and codes.
Start With an Inventory
You don’t have to organize everything in one day.
Start with your most important legal papers, financial accounts, insurance details, and emergency contacts.
Then gradually add the remaining categories.
Best Chapter’s estate checklists can help you go through these steps one by one, so you don’t miss anything important.
A good digital vault isn’t about having the most documents. It’s about giving the right people the information they need when they need it.
Educational information only. Follow applicable legal requirements and consult your advisers about document retention and access.