Digital Assets in Your Will — Cork Digital Legacy Planning

Digital assets are an increasingly important part of estates in Ireland. From cryptocurrency holdings to online bank accounts, PayPal balances, social media profiles, digital photographs, domain names, and even online businesses — these assets need to be accounted for in your will or they may be lost forever after you die.

What Are Digital Assets?

Digital assets include:

• Financial: Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.), online banking, PayPal, investment platforms
• Business: Domain names, websites, online businesses, digital intellectual property, app revenue
• Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, YouTube channels with monetisation
• Creative: Digital art, NFTs, e-books, music files, digital photography
• Personal: Email accounts, cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud), digital photo libraries
• Gaming: In-game currencies, character accounts, game libraries (Steam, Xbox, PlayStation)

The Problem with Digital Assets and Irish Wills

Traditional wills were drafted without digital assets in mind. Many platforms' terms of service prohibit transferring account ownership, and some assets are effectively lost if the password is not passed on. Cryptocurrency stored in a private wallet is permanently inaccessible without the private keys — no solicitor, no court, and no platform can recover it.

How to Include Digital Assets in Your Cork Will

A Cork solicitor will advise a two-document approach:

1. Your Will

Your will should reference digital assets and appoint an executor with authority to access and manage them. Avoid listing specific passwords in the will itself — wills become public documents after probate.

2. A Separate Digital Asset Memorandum

Keep a separate, secure document (referenced in your will) containing:

• A list of all digital accounts, platforms, and assets
• Usernames and access credentials (updated regularly)
• Cryptocurrency wallet addresses and instructions for accessing private keys/seed phrases
• Instructions for what to do with each asset (preserve, close, transfer, monetise)

Store this memorandum securely — a password manager, a sealed envelope with your solicitor, or a secure physical safe.

Cryptocurrency and Cork Wills

Cryptocurrency presents unique challenges. If you hold crypto on an exchange (like Coinbase or Kraken), your executor may be able to access it with a death certificate and grant of probate. If you hold crypto in a private wallet (hardware wallet, software wallet), your executor needs your seed phrase or private key — without it, the crypto is permanently inaccessible. This must be documented securely during your lifetime.

CAT on Digital Assets

Digital assets are subject to Capital Acquisitions Tax just like any other asset. Cryptocurrency holdings must be valued at the date of death and included in the estate's Revenue return. See: Inheritance Tax Cork.

Social Media and Digital Memorialisation

Most social media platforms now have policies for deceased users — Facebook and Instagram allow accounts to be memorialised; others can be closed on request. Your will or digital memorandum can specify your preferences for each platform.

Get Advice on Digital Legacy Planning in Cork

A Cork solicitor experienced in digital assets can ensure your will properly accounts for your online wealth and that your executor has the authority and information needed to manage your digital estate.