How to Close Out Digital Accounts and Subscriptions After a Death

A significant part of modern life exists online, and closing out a deceased loved one's digital accounts is a task many families don't anticipate until they're already in the middle of settling everything else.

Why this step often gets missed

Passwords aren't typically written into a will, and even if they were, sharing sensitive login information in a legal document isn't ideal. Many families discover only after a death that they can't access email, photos, or financial apps, or that a subscription is still quietly charging a card no one is monitoring.

What to prioritize first

Start with financial and legal accounts, banking apps, investment platforms, and anything tied to bill payments, since these have the most immediate impact. From there, move to subscriptions and recurring charges, streaming services, memberships, cloud storage, which can otherwise continue billing indefinitely.

Getting access without the original password

Some platforms offer a formal process for next of kin to request account access or closure with a death certificate, though policies vary significantly between companies. A password manager with an emergency access feature, set up in advance, can make this process dramatically easier if it was already in place before the death.

Preserving what matters before closing anything

Before closing any account, make sure photos, documents, and anything meaningful have been saved elsewhere. Once an account is deleted, that content is often gone permanently, so this step should come before, not after, any cancellations.