A Guide to Including Digital Assets and Heirlooms in Your Trust
Your trust isn’t just about bank balances or real estate. It’s about safeguarding the memories tucked in your phone’s camera roll, the handwritten letter on your desk, or the social media profile filled with family milestones.
Let’s get real. While not every digital keepsake is legally treated like property, failing to plan for it can leave loved ones locked out of what matters most.
What Are Digital Assets?
Digital assets are anything you own or manage online. They can be:
Financial: cryptocurrency, NFTs, online payment accounts, or e-commerce stores.
Practical: email accounts, websites, or cloud storage.
Personal: photo libraries, videos, playlists, or social media accounts.
Some carry obvious monetary value. Others, like a collection of family photos, may not have a price tag but can be just as meaningful. Planning ahead ensures your loved ones know how to access and preserve them.
What Counts as Heirlooms?
Heirlooms are the tangible keepsakes that connect one generation to the next. They’re not always expensive, but they’re priceless in the memories they carry.
Examples include:
Wedding rings or watches
A family Bible or handwritten recipe book
Military medals, collectibles, or artwork
Furniture or quilts that have been passed down
These objects often matter more to families than financial accounts. Without naming them in your trust, disagreements can easily arise over who gets what. In fact, this is one of the most common sources of family conflict in probate. Your estate plan should recognize them explicitly, both in what gets passed on and why it matters.
Why Include Both?
Traditional estate planning focuses on things that can be measured in dollars. But a legacy isn’t just about wealth, it’s about meaning. Losing access to a digital photo archive or fighting over a family ring can hurt just as much as dividing money.
By addressing both categories, assets with financial value and treasures with emotional value, you give your family clarity and peace.
How to Honor Both in Your Trust
Write everything down – Make a list of both digital and physical treasures, from your crypto wallet to your grandmother’s quilt.
Be specific – Replace vague terms like “digital files” with clear instructions such as “my daughter may access my Google Photos library.”
Give access securely – Store account logins in a password manager or digital vault. Don’t put them in your will, where they can become public.
Name a digital executor – Pick someone you trust who’s comfortable managing your online accounts.
Use a property schedule – Attach a separate list of heirlooms and digital items to your trust so you can update it as life changes.
Share the story – A note or short video about why something matters can mean more than the item itself.
Your Legacy, Reclaimed
Your trust is more than instructions, it’s your story, your life, passed on. Like the movie Coco reminds us:
"Our memories, they have to be passed down by those who knew us in life.”
Whether that’s a piece of jewelry or a digital photo, clarity helps those who come next.
Ready to take the next step? Visit Legacy Promises Network and book a call. Let’s create a legacy plan that protects both your assets and your essence.
Start your journey with Legacy Promises Network today.
