Most people write a will for their house and savings, then leave their entire digital life to chance. That gap turns into a slow, painful job for the people left behind.

Without instructions, a grieving family hits a wall: they cannot prove who they are, cannot reset passwords tied to a phone that is now disconnected, and cannot legally guess their way in. Closing or saving even one account can mean death certificates, support tickets, and weeks of waiting.

The fix starts small. Make a digital estate inventory — a single list of your accounts and how to reach them. Apple, Google, and Facebook already let you name a trusted contact today, before anything goes wrong.