Digital Estate Planning 1. Complimentary Consultation We begin with a conversation about your needs, concerns, and goals. We will discuss the types of digital property you have, who may need access, and the level of assistance you would like. Step 2: Service Agreement and Planning After the consultation, you will receive a service agreement outlining the project’s scope, estimated time, responsibilities, privacy practices, and fees. Once approved, we will schedule your first planning session. Step 3: Gather Your Information You will receive a Digital Estate Planning Checklist to help you identify and gather information about your: Computers, phones, tablets, and external drives Email and social media accounts Cloud storage and photo services Financial and payment accounts Shopping, travel, and subscription accounts Business websites, domains, and online tools Digital photographs, videos, and family records Rewards, memberships, and loyalty programs Cryptocurrency and other digital financial property Important documents stored electronically You do not need to have everything organized before we begin. We will work through it together. Step 4: Create Your Digital Asset Inventory We will build an organized inventory of your digital accounts, devices, files, and other digital property. For each item, the inventory may identify: The account or asset Where it is located The associated username or email address Billing or renewal information Whether it has financial, sentimental, or practical value What you would like to happen to it Who should be authorized to manage it For your security, passwords should be maintained in a reputable password manager rather than written directly into your general estate-planning documents. Step 5: Review and Organize Your Digital Assets We will review your inventory together and identify: Active accounts you want to keep Duplicate or unnecessary accounts Services that should be canceled Important files that need to be organized Photographs and records that should be preserved Information that needs an additional backup Accounts requiring special instructions This step helps simplify your digital life while reducing confusion for your future representative. Step 6: Identify Your Trusted Digital Representative You will decide who should be responsible for carrying out your digital wishes. This may be your executor, trustee, agent under a power of attorney, or another trusted person. Your chosen representative should be: Trustworthy and responsible Comfortable working with technology Willing to follow your instructions Able to protect private family and financial information Your estate-planning attorney can help you determine the appropriate legal role and authority for this person. Step 7: Document Your Wishes We will create clear instructions describing what you would like to happen to your digital property. Your instructions may include whether an account should be: Preserved Transferred Memorialized Archived Downloaded Shared with family Closed or deleted Managed temporarily Transferred to another business owner or family member Special attention will be given to irreplaceable family photographs, videos, personal writing, creative work, websites, and other legacy materials. Step 8: Set Up Legacy and Emergency-Access Tools When available, we will help you identify the legacy-planning tools offered by your service providers. These may include: Apple Legacy Contact Google Inactive Account Manager Facebook memorialization settings Password-manager emergency access Trusted contacts or account beneficiaries Recovery contacts and backup verification methods Because account settings and provider policies change, these tools should be reviewed regularly. Step 9: Coordinate With Your Estate-Planning Attorney Your digital inventory and instructions do not replace legal estate-planning documents. We will prepare an organized summary that you can share with your attorney. Your attorney may recommend adding appropriate digital-asset language to your: Will Trust Power of attorney Executor or trustee instructions Other estate-planning documents North Carolina’s Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act addresses a fiduciary’s authority to access digital property. Your attorney can explain how the law applies to your particular situation. Step 10: Establish Secure Storage and Access We will help you develop a secure system for storing your digital estate-planning information. Your system may include: A password manager An encrypted digital file A secure external drive A protected cloud location A printed locator document stored with estate papers Instructions telling your representative where to find the information Passwords, recovery codes, and other sensitive information should not be included in an unsecured document or ordinary email. Step 11: Review Your Completed Digital Estate Plan During the final review, we will confirm that: Your major digital assets are included Your instructions are understandable Your important files are appropriately backed up Your trusted representative is identified Your secure access method is documented Your attorney has the information needed for legal review Your family photographs and legacy materials have a preservation plan You will receive an organized Digital Estate Planning Packet for your records. Step 12: Maintain Your Plan A digital estate plan should be reviewed at least once each year and whenever you: Change an important password or email address Purchase or replace a device Open or close a major account Change your executor or trusted representative Start or close a business Experience a marriage, divorce, birth, death, or move Update your will, trust, or power of attorney Change how your photographs and files are stored Ongoing maintenance appointments are available to help you keep your plan current. Your Final Digital Estate Planning Packet Depending on the services selected, your completed packet may include: Digital Asset Inventory Device and Storage Inventory Digital Account Directory Photograph and Family-Memory Plan Digital Wishes and Account Instructions Trusted Representative Information Emergency and Legacy-Access Checklist Secure Storage and Access Instructions Attorney Review Checklist Annual Update Checklist Your Privacy Matters Your personal information will be handled with discretion and care. You remain in control of your accounts, passwords, decisions, and documents throughout the process. Important Notice Coastal Photo Organization, LLC provides organization, education, documentation, and planning support. We do not provide legal, financial, tax, or cybersecurity advice. Clients should consult qualified professionals regarding their individual circumstances and have all legal estate-planning documents prepared or reviewed by an attorney.