Executor Vault

Executor Vault: Secure Digital Storage and Organiser

Your digital life doesn’t disappear.

Important documents, photos, videos, last wishes, social media accounts, bank accounts, and personal information still need to reach the right people.

Executor Vault lets you securely store and organise your essential digital assets in one protected place, with controlled access for the people you trust.

Why Leaving Information About Digital Assets Is Critical

Today, a significant part of many people’s wealth and daily life exists online. Online businesses, payment platforms, cloud storage, social media accounts, and digital subscriptions do not appear in traditional records—and they do not automatically pass to family members.

When someone dies, executors can only deal with assets they know exist. Probate gives legal authority, but it does not reveal hidden or unknown accounts. If no one knows about an online business, payment account, or digital asset, it may never be claimed.

In practice, this means:

◆ Online businesses can stop overnight

◆ Funds can remain locked in platforms indefinitely

◆ Accounts may be closed after long periods of inactivity

◆ Valuable income streams can disappear without anyone realising

This happens not because of wrongdoing, but because digital assets are invisible unless documented.

Leaving clear information about your digital assets—what exists, where it exists, and who should deal with it—can make the difference between assets being recovered or lost forever. You do not need to leave passwords publicly or compromise security. What matters is leaving awareness and instructions.

For executors and families, this removes guesswork, delays, and unnecessary stress at an already difficult time.

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Digital Assets and Digital Executor

Modern estates are no longer just physical.

Your Will can—and should—address digital assets, such as:

◆ Online accounts and subscriptions

◆ Digital photos, documents, and files

◆ Email and cloud storage

◆ Online businesses or financial platforms

Many people choose to appoint a Digital Executor to manage these digital assets according to your wishes.

Clear instructions are critical. As explained above, executors can only deal with assets they know exist. Without guidance, digital accounts and online businesses may never be discovered or claimed.

This is where secure organisation matters. Keeping key digital information and supporting documents stored in one protected place helps ensure your executor knows what exists, where it is, and how it should be handled—without unnecessary delays or guesswork.

By addressing digital assets properly, you reduce confusion, protect valuable or sentimental information, and make your executor’s role significantly easier.

Recording Digital Assets for Executors

At By The Willow, we created Executor Vault to help you record and organise your digital assets for the people who will need to deal with them.

In today’s world, many people own valuable digital assets such as online bank accounts, cryptocurrency, websites, domain names, cloud storage, social media accounts and online businesses. Some digital assets may hold significant financial or sentimental value, while others may contain important information needed to administer an estate.

Keeping a secure record of your digital assets can help your Executors identify important accounts, preserve valuable property and avoid unnecessary delays after your death.

Executors are not meant to log in to accounts directly. Instead, Executor Vault records what exists and where, allowing executors to approach platforms properly and lawfully when the time comes.

What’s Included

◆ Secure, encrypted storage for documents and files

◆ Store account details, photos, and personal records

◆ Appoint trusted Vault Delegates to access your vault

◆ Access controls prevent early or unauthorised access

What Are Vault Delegates?

Vault Delegates are trusted individuals you choose—such as executors or loved ones—who can unlock your vault at the appropriate time.

They do not have immediate access. If a Vault Delegate requests access:

◆ You are notified by email

◆ You can approve or block access

◆ If you do not respond within a defined period, access is granted automatically

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Why Not Just Use Dropbox or Google Drive?

At first glance, it may seem easier to store important documents in Dropbox or Google Drive. But these platforms are generic file storage tools, not estate-planning solutions.

The Limitations of Cloud Storage

◆ Are designed for everyday file sharing

◆ Require you to share your login details or manually grant access

◆ Offer no controlled release of documents

◆ Provide limited visibility over who accessed what and when

◆ Do not integrate with wills, executors, or legal instructions

In practice, this means your loved ones may either:

◆ Have access too early, or

◆ Be completely locked out when access is most needed

Neither is ideal.

How a Digital Vault Is Different

A purpose-built digital vault is designed specifically for estate and incapacity planning.

Rather than sharing passwords, you:

◆ Appoint Vault Delegates, trusted individuals in advance

◆ Control when access can be requested

◆ Receive notifications if access is attempted

◆ Allow automatic release only if you cannot respond

This removes guesswork and eliminates security risks.

Designed to Work With Your Estate Plan

A digital vault is most powerful when used alongside your Will and other planning documents, such as:

◆ Powers of Attorney

◆ Advance Healthcare Directive

◆ Funeral wishes

◆ Personal messages or instructions

Everything works together as a single system, rather than disconnected files spread across different platforms.

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