EDUCATIONAL SERIES

Digital Assets and Online Accounts in a Deceased Estate

Understanding how digital property is handled after death
Infosheet 20 of 28

We live increasingly digital lives and yet most people have made no provision for what happens to their online presence, digital accounts, or digital assets when they die. This is an area of estate administration that is growing rapidly in importance and still catching many families off guard.

Digital assets can range from the sentimental: email accounts, social media profiles, cloud-stored photographs — to the financially significant, such as cryptocurrency holdings or online investment accounts. Executors have a duty to identify, secure, and account for all of these.

This infosheet explains what counts as a digital asset, how executors are expected to handle online accounts and digital property, and what practical steps families can take now — and after a death — to manage this part of the estate.

1 What Counts as a Digital Asset?
  • Email accounts
  • Social media profiles
  • Cloud storage
  • Online banking
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Digital photos and documents
  • Online subscriptions
2 Why Digital Assets Matter
  • They may contain important financial information
  • They may hold sentimental value
  • They may be required for closing accounts
  • They may have monetary value (e.g., cryptocurrency)
3 How Executors Handle Digital Assets
  • Identify all online accounts
  • Contact service providers where necessary
  • Secure access to prevent fraud
  • Close or memorialise accounts
  • Include digital assets in the L&D Account
4 Challenges With Digital Assets
  • Passwords may be unknown
  • Some platforms restrict access
  • International laws may apply
  • Crypto wallets may be inaccessible without keys
5 Tips for Families
  • Keep a secure list of digital accounts
  • Store passwords safely
  • Inform the executor of any online assets

A Note From Our Practice

Losing someone you love is hard enough. The legal process of winding up their estate should not be a source of additional confusion or anxiety. But for most families, it is.

Estate administration in South Africa is a structured legal process governed by the Administration of Estates Act and a range of other legislation. It involves the Master of the High Court, SARS, financial institutions, the Deeds Office, and more. It takes time. It requires documents. And it can feel, at every turn, like a system that expects you to already know how it works.
We created this educational series because we believe informed families make better decisions and because the questions we are asked most often are the same ones that could be answered before a client ever walks through our door.

The CDT Educational Series consists of 28 infosheets covering the full spectrum of deceased estate administration, from the first 72 hours after a death to the final distribution of assets. Each infosheet is written in plain language, without jargon, and is designed to give you a clear picture of what the process involves and why each step exists.

Important: These infosheets are educational resources. They provide general information about the estate administration process in South Africa and are not intended as legal advice. Every estate has its own facts, complexities, and circumstances. Nothing in this series should be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal guidance specific to your matter.

Our intention is simple: to help you understand the landscape, ask the right questions, and feel confident when you come to us for help. Because when you are ready, we are here.

Cari du Toit & Aqeela Peters

Directors
Cari du Toit Incorporated Attorneys & Conveyancers