Planning Your Digital Asset Succession In California

Last updated on November 10, 2026

More and more of what we own is stored in the cloud or exists in digital form. Like physical property, these digital assets can hold financial or personal value. Some even generate income. You may want to preserve them and pass them on to your loved ones, but doing so can be difficult if no one knows they exist or how to access them.

The Sterling Law Group, A P.C., helps families in Roseville, Sacramento and nearby California communities plan for these issues. Use this guide to review your digital assets and see what your estate plan should cover.

What Digital Assets Should You Include In Your Estate Plan?

Start by listing the digital assets you own or manage. Consider:

• Financial accounts: Bank accounts, digital wallets, cryptocurrency, investment accounts and payment services such as PayPal, Venmo and Apple Pay
• Income-generating accounts: YouTube channels, blogs, podcasts, social media profiles, affiliate accounts and paid subscription pages
• Digital businesses: Online stores, websites, domain names, ad accounts, and digital work or content you own
• Personal accounts and files: Email, cloud storage, social media profiles, photos, videos and other files

Some of these assets may hold money, bring in regular income or contain items your family will want to keep.

How Do You Value And Manage Digital Assets?

The value of digital assets can change. Cryptocurrency prices may rise or fall in a short time. Bank balances, payment accounts and online investments can also change. If you have trusts and wills with cryptocurrencies, your plan should explain how your family or trustee can find these assets and how they should be handled.

Online accounts that earn money may also have unpaid income, business deals or value linked to their followers and name. Estate planning lawyers at The Sterling Law Group, A P.C., can help you plan for who may manage these assets and how they should pass through your estate. We can also help spot issues that may call for advice from a tax or financial professional.

Do Privacy Laws Affect Access To Online Accounts?

California’s Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA) sets rules for when an executor or trustee may access digital assets. It treats basic account records differently from private emails and messages. Access to the content of private messages may require your consent or a court order.

Tech companies also set rules for accounts after death. Apple has Legacy Contact, Google offers Inactive Account Manager and Meta has tools for memorialized profiles. These options give limited access, not full control of every account or its content. At The Sterling Law Group, A P.C., we can help you understand these rules and set out clear instructions in your estate plan.

Protect Your Digital Legacy

Your digital assets deserve the same care as the rest of your estate. Our attorneys at The Sterling Law Group, A P.C., can help you plan for who may access, manage and receive them, so your family has clear guidance when the time comes.

Call us at 916-727-6904 or contact us online to discuss your digital asset planning needs.