We talk a lot about planned giving—wills, trusts, beneficiary designations. But most organizations haven’t addressed one dimension of planning: what happens to digital lives after death?
The Digital Estate
Today’s donors have:
- Online banking and investment accounts
- Digital subscriptions and memberships
- Social media profiles
- Email accounts containing years of correspondence
- Cloud storage with photos, documents, and memories
- Cryptocurrency and other digital assets
Without planning, these assets can be lost, locked, or mishandled after death.
Why This Matters for Fundraisers
As trusted advisors to donors thinking about legacy, we have an opportunity—maybe an obligation—to raise these questions. Not to provide legal advice, but to prompt important conversations:
- Have you designated digital executors or legacy contacts?
- Are your passwords accessible to the right people?
- Have you documented your wishes for digital accounts?
Organizational Implications
For our own organizations, digital planning matters too. What happens to organizational accounts if key staff leave suddenly? Are passwords documented securely? Is there a succession plan for digital assets?
The organizations that think carefully about these questions now will be better positioned for transitions later.
