Why Choose Law Offices of Rozsa Gyene for Digital Asset Planning?
Digital Legacy Planning in LA & Santa Barbara
Digital asset planning ensures your fiduciaries can access, manage, and distribute your online accounts and digital property after your death or incapacity. Without proper planning, valuable assets can be permanently lost, accounts frozen, businesses disrupted, and priceless memories locked away forever.
Your digital assets include cryptocurrency wallets and private keys, online banking and investment accounts, email and social media accounts, cloud storage files (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox), digital photos and videos, online business assets and websites, domain names and intellectual property, digital music and movie libraries, gaming accounts and in-game currency, NFTs and blockchain assets, and subscription services.
California's Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA) provides a legal framework for fiduciary access to digital assets, but you must take specific steps to grant this access. Many online platforms have Terms of Service agreements that restrict or prohibit account access by third parties, creating legal complications for executors and trustees.
We help you navigate this complex legal landscape by incorporating digital asset provisions into your trust, appointing a digital executor who understands technology, creating secure password management systems, utilizing platform-specific legacy tools (like Google's Inactive Account Manager or Facebook's Legacy Contact), and ensuring compliance with both RUFADAA and Terms of Service agreements to prevent account closures and legal liability.
California's RUFADAA Law: Your Digital Legacy Rights
The Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (California Probate Code §§ 870-884) gives fiduciaries legal authority to access digital assets—but only if properly authorized in your estate plan.
Legal Authority
RUFADAA overrides restrictive Terms of Service agreements, giving your trustee or executor the legal right to access, copy, or delete digital assets per your instructions.
Express Authorization
You must specifically grant digital asset access in your living trust or will. Generic estate planning documents may not provide adequate authority.
Privacy Protection
You control what fiduciaries can access—grant full content access, limit to catalogue (list of accounts), or restrict access to specific assets only.
Protect Your Digital Life
Cryptocurrency Protection
Secure private keys, wallet passwords, and recovery phrases so heirs can access Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other crypto assets worth thousands or millions.
Online Banking Access
Enable fiduciaries to manage your online bank accounts, investment platforms, retirement accounts, and payment systems like PayPal and Venmo.
Email & Communications
Grant access to email accounts for important communications, account recovery, two-factor authentication, and locating other accounts and assets.
Digital Memories
Preserve family photos, videos, and memories stored in cloud services, social media, and digital devices so they're never lost to your family.
Online Business Continuity
Ensure websites, e-commerce stores, domain names, and digital businesses can continue operating or be sold without losing value or customers.
Social Media Management
Control what happens to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other accounts - memorialization, deletion, or legacy access per your wishes.
Cryptocurrency Warning: $140+ Billion in Bitcoin Lost Forever
According to Chainalysis, approximately 20% of all Bitcoin ($140+ billion) is permanently inaccessible because owners died without sharing private keys or recovery phrases. Unlike bank accounts, cryptocurrency cannot be recovered through probate court orders—the blockchain has no customer service.
If you hold cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, or any digital currency), proper estate planning is not optional—it's the only way to ensure your heirs can access your crypto assets. We help clients in Silicon Beach, Goleta's tech hub, and throughout LA & Santa Barbara protect digital wealth.
Our Digital Asset Planning Process
Asset Inventory
Identify all digital accounts, cryptocurrencies, and online property
Access Strategy
Create secure system for password management and fiduciary access
Legal Documentation
Draft RUFADAA-compliant trust provisions and digital executor appointment
Platform Integration
Configure legacy tools on major platforms and ensure Terms compliance
Types of Digital Assets Requiring Estate Planning
Digital assets span four major categories, each with unique access requirements and legal considerations under California's RUFADAA law.
Financial Assets
- Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.)
- NFTs & blockchain assets
- Online banking & brokerage accounts
- PayPal, Venmo, Zelle accounts
- Retirement accounts with online access
- Rewards points & airline miles
Business Assets
- Websites & domain names
- E-commerce stores (Shopify, Amazon)
- Email lists & CRM data
- Social media business accounts
- Digital advertising accounts
- SaaS subscriptions & licenses
Personal Assets
- Photos & videos (iCloud, Google Photos)
- Email accounts (Gmail, Outlook)
- Social media profiles
- Cloud storage (Dropbox, OneDrive)
- Digital music & movie libraries
- Gaming accounts & virtual items
Access Credentials
- Password manager master keys
- Crypto private keys & seed phrases
- Hardware wallet PINs
- Two-factor authentication devices
- Smart home & security systems
- Vehicle digital keys
RUFADAA Fiduciary Access Hierarchy
California Probate Code § 871 establishes a priority system for digital asset access. Understanding this hierarchy is critical for effective planning.
Key Takeaway: Without proper planning, your fiduciary may only receive a list of accounts—not access to content. Our living trusts include specific RUFADAA authorization for full digital asset access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Private Key Security: The Critical Balance
Cryptocurrency private keys present a unique challenge: they must be secure enough to protect against theft during your lifetime, yet accessible enough for heirs after your death.
Common Mistakes
- Writing seed phrases in your will (public record)
- Storing keys in a safe deposit box (may require probate)
- Telling one person the full key (security risk)
- No documentation (assets lost forever)
Best Practices
- Split seed phrases between multiple locations
- Use hardware wallets with documented PINs
- Create a crypto-specific instruction letter
- Name a tech-savvy digital executor
Online Business Succession for Tech Entrepreneurs
Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties are home to thriving tech ecosystems—from Silicon Beach startups in Santa Monica, Venice, and Playa Vista to the growing tech hub in Goleta. We help tech entrepreneurs protect their digital businesses.
Digital Business Assets
Your online business represents significant value that can be lost without proper planning:
- SaaS platforms and subscription revenue
- Domain portfolios and web properties
- E-commerce stores and customer data
- Digital advertising accounts (Google, Meta)
- Intellectual property and source code
Business Continuity Planning
Ensure your digital business can continue or be properly sold:
- Document hosting, DNS, and infrastructure access
- Name a technical successor who understands operations
- Create instructions for ongoing maintenance
- Address customer communication and contracts
- Plan for intellectual property transfer
Whether you're a Silicon Beach founder, a Goleta tech professional, or run an online business from anywhere in Southern California, we can help protect your digital enterprise. Learn about Business Succession Planning →
Creating Your Digital Asset Inventory
A comprehensive inventory is the foundation of digital asset planning. Without it, your fiduciaries won't know what accounts exist or how to access them.
What to Document
- Account name and website URL
- Username or email associated
- Purpose and approximate value
- Two-factor authentication method
- Recovery email or phone number
- Any linked accounts or services
Secure Storage Options
- Password manager (1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden)
- Encrypted USB drive in secure location
- Physical document in fireproof safe
- Attorney-held sealed instructions
- Split storage for high-value crypto
What NOT to Do
- List passwords in your will or trust
- Email credentials to yourself
- Store keys on an internet-connected device
- Give full access to one person
- Forget to update after changes
Serving LA & Santa Barbara Tech Communities
We provide digital asset planning for tech professionals, cryptocurrency holders, and online business owners throughout Southern California's innovation corridors.
Silicon Beach
Santa Monica • Venice • Playa Vista • Culver City • Marina del Rey • El Segundo
Santa Barbara Tech Hub
Greater Los Angeles
Los Angeles • Pasadena • Glendale • Burbank • Hollywood • Downtown LA
All California
We serve clients throughout California with digital asset planning, including remote consultations for tech professionals statewide.
Platform-Specific Legacy Tools
Major platforms offer legacy tools that—under RUFADAA—take priority over your estate plan. We help you configure these tools to work with your overall digital asset strategy.
Inactive Account Manager: Choose what happens to Gmail, Drive, Photos after period of inactivity. Can notify contacts and share data or delete account.
Apple
Digital Legacy Program: Designate Legacy Contacts who can request access to iCloud data, photos, messages after your death with proper verification.
Facebook/Meta
Legacy Contact: Designate someone to manage your memorialized profile, post tributes, respond to friend requests, or request account deletion.
Coinbase
Vault & Beneficiaries: Set up beneficiary designations for Coinbase accounts. For self-custody (Coinbase Wallet), private key planning is essential.
Ledger/Trezor
Hardware Wallets: No built-in legacy features—24-word seed phrase is the key. Proper documentation and secure storage planning is critical.
Memorialization: Family members can request profile memorialization or removal. No pre-designated legacy contact feature currently available.
Don't Let Your Digital Assets Disappear
Create a comprehensive digital asset plan to protect your online life and legacy.
Schedule ConsultationSpeak with a Digital Asset Planning Attorney:
(818) 291-6217Related Estate Planning Services
Heggstad Petition
Transfer assets left out of trust—including digital assets—without probate
Learn More →