A person’s estate may include far more than a house, vehicle, and financial accounts. Email, cloud storage, social media profiles, cryptocurrency, online businesses, digital photographs, and subscription accounts can all become difficult to access after the owner dies or becomes incapacitated.
When a family encounters this problem, finding legal advocacy online may require searching for an attorney with experience in both estate administration and digital assets. General searches for an estate lawyer may produce many results, but not every attorney regularly handles cryptocurrency, online businesses, electronically stored property, or disputes with technology platforms.
Before selecting an attorney, it can be helpful to identify the type of digital property involved. Accessing a social media account may raise different issues than recovering cryptocurrency or securing business files stored in the cloud. Platform terms, privacy laws, estate-planning documents, and state laws may determine whether a fiduciary can obtain access.
The Uniform Law Commission provides information about legislation addressing fiduciary access to digital assets. However, the law adopted in a particular state and the language of the deceased person’s estate-planning documents may affect what access is permitted.
When contacting a prospective attorney online, the family should be prepared to explain what accounts or assets exist, whether a will or trust has been located, and whether anyone has been formally appointed to administer the estate. Account statements, device information, platform communications, and proof of ownership may also be relevant.
Families should be cautious about anyone who promises to bypass passwords or platform security. Unauthorized access could create additional legal problems. Appropriate legal advocacy should focus on obtaining access through recognized estate procedures, court authority, or the platform’s established process.
Because valuable information can be lost when subscriptions expire or accounts are closed, seeking guidance early may help preserve important digital property.
This article is intended for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.