Letter to Your Family About Your Accounts and Passwords
A Letter to Family is the most practical document you can leave — no lawyer needed.
A Letter to Family — also called a Letter of Instruction or Digital Asset Memorandum — is the most practical document you can leave for your family. It's not a legal document, which means you can update it yourself whenever things change, without visiting an attorney.
Unlike a will, it doesn't need witnesses or notarization. Unlike your password manager, it doesn't require technical knowledge to use. It's simply the "what and where" document your family needs to manage your digital life when you can't.
What to Include
- Your primary email address and how to access it (password manager, emergency access instructions)
- Your password manager app name and instructions for the Emergency Access feature
- Your Apple Legacy Contact status and where the Access Key is stored
- Your Google Inactive Account Manager configuration
- A list of your most important accounts (banking, social, crypto, subscriptions)
- Your wishes for each social media account (memorialize vs. delete)
- Location of any physical seed phrase documentation for crypto
- Any AI tool accounts and your wishes for them
- Your digital executor's name and contact details
- Location of your will and any other important legal documents
Security rule: Do NOT include actual passwords in this document. Reference where they are stored (e.g., "in my 1Password vault" or "in the sealed envelope in the fireproof safe"). This letter may be seen by multiple people during estate administration.
Free Template
Prepared by: _____________________ | Date: _____________ | Last updated: _____________
To my family and executor,
This letter will help you manage my online accounts. Please keep it in a secure location and update with me annually.
PRIMARY EMAIL: _____________________ | Access: via [password manager name] / [alternative instructions]
PASSWORD MANAGER: [1Password / Bitwarden / Dashlane / Other: ______]
Emergency Access is set up for: _____________________ (they know how to request it)
APPLE ID: _____________________ | Legacy Contact: _____________________ has the Access Key — stored at _____________________
GOOGLE ACCOUNT: _____________________ | Inactive Account Manager is configured to notify: _____________________
CRYPTOCURRENCY:
I hold crypto at: _____________________
Seed phrases are stored: _____________________ (physical location — do NOT store here)
Hardware wallet (if any): _____________________ | PIN instructions: in separate sealed document labeled "_____________________"
SOCIAL MEDIA WISHES:
Facebook: Please [memorialize / delete]. Legacy Contact: _____________________
Instagram: Please [memorialize / delete]
Other accounts: _____________________
SUBSCRIPTIONS TO CANCEL: (see attached list)
Primary billing card: _____________________
AI ACCOUNTS:
I use [ChatGPT / Claude / Other]: _____________________
My wish for these accounts: [delete / preserve / transfer access to _____________________]
MY DIGITAL EXECUTOR: _____________________ | Phone: _____________________
For legal questions, please contact my attorney: _____________________ or visit LegalZoom.com.
Signed: _____________________ | Date: _____________________
Print this template, fill it in by hand, and store it with your will or in a fireproof safe. Tell your executor it exists and exactly where to find it. Review and update it every year on your birthday as a reminder.
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