Do not put raw passwords in a will
A will can become part of a legal or administrative process. It is not the right place for live passwords, recovery codes, or private account details.
The better goal is to help your family find the right instructions at the right time without exposing everything today.
The safest pattern
Use a three-part plan:
- Store sensitive details in a secure vault.
- Write clear instructions for what each account is for.
- Choose trusted contacts and release rules for later access.
This gives your family a path without turning passwords into casual shared documents.
Start with the accounts that matter first
You do not need to document every login today.
Start with:
- primary email
- password manager
- banking portals
- insurance accounts
- phone and device recovery notes
- cloud storage
If crypto is part of your estate, read How to leave crypto to your family.
Include instructions, not just login details
A password alone may not be enough.
Add notes like:
- what the account is used for
- whether it should be preserved or closed
- who should handle it
- what recovery device or email is involved
- where related documents live
Use trusted contacts carefully
A trusted contact should not automatically receive every password.
Use collections and release rules so each person receives only the information they are supposed to handle.
