Digital Legacy Authorization
& Estate Support
Your digital life doesn’t disappear when you do. Without proper authorization, your family may never be able to access, close, or preserve the accounts and memories you leave behind.
Koda Vault helps you prepare now — or helps your family navigate the process after a loss — with legally sound documentation and verified authority every step of the way.
Legal Foundation
Koda Vault’s processes are built on the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA), adopted in some form by nearly every U.S. state. RUFADAA provides a legal framework for fiduciaries — executors, trustees, agents under power of attorney, and guardians — to access digital assets while protecting the account holder’s privacy. We never rely on family relationships alone. Authority must be documented and verified.
Section 1
Planning Ahead
Why advance authorization matters. Under RUFADAA, a user’s own instructions — such as those set through an online tool or a legally executed document — take the highest priority. If you do nothing, your family will need to go through probate, obtain court orders, and navigate each provider’s individual process. Some accounts may become permanently inaccessible.
How digital assets become inaccessible. Email accounts lock after periods of inactivity. Social media profiles can be memorialized without family input. Cloud storage with irreplaceable photos, documents, and records can be deleted automatically. Cryptocurrency wallets without proper key documentation may be lost permanently. Domain names, digital businesses, and subscription services continue to accrue charges.
How Koda Vault can assist. We help you complete every document needed to ensure your digital executor, trustee, or agent has clear, legally defensible authority to manage your digital assets. We walk you through the process step by step — no legal jargon, no confusion.
The benefits of preparing now. Your family avoids costly court proceedings. Your wishes are honored exactly as you intended. Sentimental accounts, photos, and messages are preserved. Financial accounts are properly transferred. Nothing falls through the cracks.
What you need to prepare
Digital Asset Authorization Agreement
Grants Koda Vault explicit, RUFADAA-compliant consent to access, manage, or close your digital accounts on your behalf.
Beneficiary Designation
Names the person or persons who will receive access to your digital assets and accounts.
Emergency Contact
Designates a trusted person Koda Vault can reach in an emergency or upon notification of incapacity or death.
Digital Executor Designation
Appoints a specific individual authorized to direct Koda Vault regarding your digital estate.
Limited Digital Power of Attorney
A legally recognized instrument authorizing Koda Vault to act on your behalf for digital assets during incapacity.
Digital Legacy Instructions
Your specific wishes for each account — close, memorialize, transfer, or preserve — plus any personal messages.
Will or Trust Integration (recommended)
Connecting your digital legacy plan with your existing estate plan ensures full legal enforceability.
Need Help Setting This Up?
Koda Vault can help you complete every document on this list. We walk you through the process, explain what each document does, and make sure your digital legacy is fully protected.
Start Your Digital Legacy PlanSection 2
After a Loved One Has Passed
Koda Vault assists families, executors, trustees, and estate administrators with the overwhelming process of managing a loved one’s digital accounts after death. We handle the phone calls, the paperwork, and the provider-specific processes — but we can only begin after proper documentation is verified.
We never act on verbal claims of relationship alone. Every request requires documented legal authority. This protects the deceased, protects the family, and protects Koda Vault.
Required documentation before services can begin
Certified Death Certificate
Official, government-issued death certificate. Most providers require a certified copy, not a photocopy.
Government-Issued Photo ID
Valid identification of the person requesting assistance (executor, administrator, or next of kin).
Letters Testamentary
Issued by a probate court, these confirm the executor named in a will has legal authority to act on behalf of the estate.
Letters of Administration
If there is no will, the court issues these to appoint an estate administrator with authority to manage assets.
Trust Documentation (if applicable)
If assets are held in a trust, the trust instrument and trustee certification are required.
Court Documentation (if applicable)
Any additional court orders relevant to the estate, guardianship, or conservatorship.
Note: Additional documentation may be required depending on the account provider. Some companies have their own verification processes beyond what is listed above. Koda Vault will guide you through every provider’s specific requirements.
How the process works
Contact Koda Vault
Reach out by phone, email, or through our contact form. There is no rush — we move at your pace.
Submit Documentation
Provide the required legal documents listed above. We will tell you exactly what is needed for your situation.
Verification Review
We verify all documentation, confirm your legal authority, and complete our internal compliance review before any action is taken.
Account Inventory
We work with you to identify every digital account, subscription, and online presence that needs to be addressed.
Account Management Assistance
We contact each provider on your behalf, submit required documentation, and manage every request through to completion.
Closure, Memorialization, Transfer, or Preservation
Each account is handled according to the deceased's documented wishes, your instructions as the legal representative, or the provider's available options.
Provider-specific documentation
Each major provider has its own process for handling accounts after a death. Here is a summary of what the largest providers typically require:
Inactive Account Manager settings, death certificate, proof of relationship, government ID. Google may provide account data or close the account but does not grant full login access.
Apple
Digital Legacy contact (if set up), death certificate, court order naming the executor/administrator. Apple provides a Digital Legacy contact key or requires a court order.
Meta (Facebook & Instagram)
Death certificate, proof of relationship. Accounts can be memorialized or removed. Legacy Contact (if designated) can manage the memorialized profile.
Microsoft
Next of kin request form, death certificate, proof of authority. Microsoft may provide account data on a DVD/drive but does not grant login access.
Verification of identity, death certificate. Accounts can be memorialized or closed. LinkedIn does not release account data to families.
Financial & Banking Apps
Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, death certificate, account holder identification. Requirements vary by institution.
International
International Clients
Digital asset laws vary significantly by country. While RUFADAA provides a strong legal framework in the United States, other jurisdictions have different requirements for fiduciary access, executor authority, and data privacy (such as the EU’s GDPR or Canada’s PIPEDA).
If you are located outside the United States, Koda Vault can still assist you — but the documentation requirements and process may differ based on your country’s laws. Contact us for guidance specific to your region.
Contact Us for Country-Specific Requirements
We’ll walk you through what’s required in your jurisdiction and help you understand your options.
Contact UsImportant: Koda Vault is an administration services company. We are not a law firm, and we do not provide legal advice. The documents and processes described on this page are designed to be reviewed by a licensed attorney in your state. We strongly recommend consulting with an estate planning attorney to ensure your digital legacy plan is fully integrated with your overall estate plan. All authorization documents should be executed in compliance with your state’s specific requirements.
Your digital legacy deserves a plan.
Whether you’re preparing for the future or navigating a loss right now, Koda Vault is here to help — with care, clarity, and proper legal authority every step of the way.
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