Who Has the Password? Planning for Your Digital Legacy

When most people think about what they’re leaving behind, they picture the house, the car, the savings account. But there’s another category of assets — ones that exist entirely online — that often gets overlooked until it’s too late.

Digital assets are more varied than you might think, and some carry real value. Here’s what families and executors are increasingly encountering, and why addressing them in advance matters.

Loyalty Points: More Complicated Than You’d Expect

Canadians are enthusiastic collectors. Aeroplan, Air Miles, PC Optimum, WestJet Rewards — the average Canadian household holds multiple loyalty memberships, sometimes with balances worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Here’s the catch: loyalty points are not legally considered property. They belong to the company, not to you. Each program sets its own rules about what happens upon death, and those rules vary widely.

Some programs allow points to be transferred to beneficiaries upon death, while others state that points are simply forfeited. de Vries Litigation PC Optimum and Canadian Tire’s Triangle Rewards, for example, both forfeit points upon death. Rewards Canada Aeroplan allows transfers to named beneficiaries at no charge, while Air Miles permits transfers by completing an estate form. Milesopedia Program terms also change frequently, so any reference to loyalty points in a will should use broad language rather than naming specific programs.

The practical takeaway: use your points while you can, keep a record of your accounts, and don’t assume your executor will be able to recover them.

Cryptocurrency

Unlike loyalty points, cryptocurrency can absolutely be considered a financial asset, but it comes with a unique problem. If no one knows your wallet credentials or private keys, those funds are gone. Forever. There is no customer service line, no account recovery process, and no bank to call.

If you hold crypto, your executor needs to know it exists and how to access it, ideally through secure documentation stored alongside your will.

Social Media Accounts

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn — these accounts hold years of photos, messages, and memories. Most platforms offer memorialization options, but accessing or managing them requires advance planning. Some platforms allow you to designate a legacy contact. Others will simply lock the account upon notification of death unless specific steps have been taken.

Cloud Storage and Photos

Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox, etc., are services that often hold irreplaceable family photos and documents. Without login credentials, your family may not be able to access them, even with legal authority to do so.

What You Can Do Now

You don’t need to include every password in your will — in fact, that’s not advisable since wills become public documents through probate. Instead, consider maintaining a secure digital inventory: a list of accounts, login credentials, and any relevant instructions, stored somewhere trusted people can access it when the time comes.

Speaking with a lawyer about how to address digital assets alongside your will and powers of attorney is a smart first step.

TLR Law can help you think through your full picture. Call us at (204) 925-1900 or click here to schedule an appointment online.