RUFADAA and Digital Assets After Death (2026)

RUFADAA is the law framework many states use to decide what an executor, administrator, trustee, or other fiduciary can request from online account providers after someone dies. In plain English, it may help you request records, exports, or access to digital assets, but it does not guarantee passwords, live login access, email contents, or recover lost crypto keys.

If you are handling a death in the family, start by preserving devices, gathering court papers, and sorting digital assets into two groups: provider-held accounts, such as Apple, Google, Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance.US, and self-custody assets, such as a hardware wallet or seed phrase. This article is informational, not legal advice, and reflects source material last updated November 20, 2025.

What to do first as executor

Digital estates can include email, cloud storage, photos, social media, password managers, cryptocurrency, brokerage accounts, and online financial accounts. Before you ask a provider for access, protect what already exists.

Start with these steps:

• Preserve access to devices. Secure the decedent's phone, email, computers, tablets, and external drives. Do not factory-reset devices.
• Safeguard crypto keys. Look for seed phrases, private keys, hardware wallets, software wallets, password manager recovery kits, printed recovery codes, and written backups.
• Gather core documents. You will commonly need certified death certificate(s), Letters Testamentary/Administration or equivalent court appointment, your government-issued photo ID, and account identifiers such as usernames, email addresses, account IDs, wallet addresses, or exchange UIDs.
• Check legacy tools first. Apple Legacy Contact and Google Inactive Account Manager can change what data is available and who may receive it.
• Inventory likely accounts. List exchanges, brokers, banks, cloud services, password managers, social media accounts, and any self-custody wallets you have found.
• Avoid using the decedent's personal logins. Exchanges and digital platforms generally do not grant live credentials through a bereavement process, and logging in as the deceased person can create problems.
• Turn on multi-factor authentication for estate tools. Any estate-controlled email, wallet, bank account, or document portal should be protected.
• Keep a paper trail. Save letters, upload receipts, transaction IDs, wallet addresses, provider messages, and decisions for the court and beneficiaries.

For a broader checklist on online accounts, see Sunset's guide to digital assets after death. If you are still trying to identify possible crypto accounts before making provider requests, this separate guide on recovering and identifying crypto holdings after a death may help.

RUFADAA in plain English

RUFADAA stands for the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act. Nearly all U.S. states have enacted a version of RUFADAA, with local variations. Executors should follow their state's statute, provider rules, and any court instructions before requesting access.

RUFADAA's purpose is to authorize a court-appointed fiduciary, including an executor, administrator, personal representative, trustee, or agent under POA, to obtain access to a decedent's digital assets from custodians. That access is subject to user consent, privacy limits, and provider terms.

RUFADAA usually turns on a hierarchy:

• If the decedent used a provider's in-product legacy tool, such as Apple Legacy Contact or Google Inactive Account Manager, those directions generally control.
• If no legacy tool was used, the provider may look to the decedent's will or estate documents.
• If neither exists, provider terms and state law govern.

RUFADAA also treats different kinds of account information differently. The content of communications, such as email bodies and private messages, often requires express user consent or a court order. Catalog records, such as sender, recipient, date, time, and metadata, may be available with standard fiduciary authority.

Providers can ask for records before disclosing anything. Common requests include a certified death certificate, Letters Testamentary/Administration, executor ID, and account identifiers. A provider may deliver copies or exports instead of granting live credentials.

Digital platform paths families commonly face

Each platform has its own process. If the decedent set legacy preferences during life, use those first. If not, expect to submit a bereavement or fiduciary request with court papers.

Platform or type	Pre-death user control	After-death executor path	Typical outputs
Apple (iCloud/Photos)	Legacy Contact designates people to access data after death	Submit death certificate and access key or court documents through Apple's bereavement process	Time-limited data access or export; no credential sharing
Google (Gmail/Drive/Photos)	Inactive Account Manager can pre-authorize data sharing and account timeout	Bereavement request with court proof if no Inactive Account Manager was set	Data export for selected services or account closure
Meta (Facebook/Instagram)	Legacy Contact and memorialization settings	Memorialize or request content removal or limited data disclosure with legal documents	Memorialized profile; limited data per policy
Microsoft (Outlook/OneDrive)	Next-of-kin process; no true legacy contact	Court order and executor proof required	Exported data where permitted; account closure
Yahoo/AOL	No pre-death controls for content transfer	Court order plus executor proof	Account closure; limited records
Major crypto exchanges, such as Coinbase, Kraken, Binance.US	Beneficiary tools vary by exchange	Submit death certificate, Letters, identity, and follow the exchange probate or bereavement queue	Account transfer to estate or approved beneficiary; fiat or crypto liquidation per instructions
Password managers, such as 1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden	Emergency or Trusted Access features allow designated contacts	Without pre-authorization, providers generally require court orders; some cannot decrypt vaults	Vault access if pre-authorized; otherwise, access may be impossible without the master key
Self-custody wallets, such as Ledger, Trezor, MetaMask, seed phrase	User must plan key or seed inheritance	No provider to compel; estate needs the seed phrase or private keys	Funds recoverable only with keys or seed; otherwise irretrievable

Crypto probate depends on where the crypto was held

Crypto after death usually falls into one of two categories: exchange-held crypto or self-custody crypto. The difference matters because an exchange has a bereavement process, while self-custody has no custodian that can restore access.

For exchange-held crypto, such as Coinbase, Kraken, or Binance.US, the executor usually prepares a certified death certificate, Letters Testamentary/Administration, government ID, and the decedent's account email, username, or UID if known. The exchange then verifies identity and court authority through its probate or bereavement process. Live login access is generally not provided.

You may be asked to state the requested outcome. That could mean an in-kind crypto transfer to an estate-controlled wallet, if supported, or conversion to USD for deposit into the estate bank account. Stating that request clearly can reduce back-and-forth.

For self-custody crypto, the seed phrase or private keys are essential. If the estate does not have the seed phrase or keys, no provider can restore the funds. The practical steps are to secure devices, recovery cards, written backups, and hardware wallets; inventory wallet addresses; document transaction IDs; and identify multisig co-signers if any exist. Once keys are available, the estate can transfer funds to an estate-controlled wallet or liquidate according to the estate's instructions.

U.S. exchange bereavement references

Exact requirements vary by state and can change. Exchanges typically ask for a certified death certificate, Letters, executor ID, and account identifiers. They may transfer assets to an estate account or named beneficiary. Live login access is generally not provided.

For Coinbase in the U.S., executors prepare a certified death certificate, Letters Testamentary/Administration or small-estate documents if applicable, government ID, the decedent's Coinbase email or UID if known, and a brief cover note describing the request. The request may ask for transfer to the estate, liquidation, or beneficiary payout if supported. Expect identity and court-order verification. Assets are typically moved to an estate account or liquidated to USD at your direction when permitted. Document review can take days to a few weeks depending on court paperwork completeness and state requirements.

For Kraken in the U.S., executors prepare a death certificate, Letters or equivalent court appointment, executor ID, account email or username, and any prior beneficiary instructions found in the decedent's records. Kraken handles these through a probate or bereavement queue. The process may include requests for missing details, then either in-kind transfer where supported or conversion to fiat for distribution to the estate. Timing varies by state and volume, and there may be back-and-forth correspondence until compliance checks are satisfied.

For Binance.US, executors prepare a death certificate, Letters, executor ID, and account identifiers. Some cases may require a court order that states access or transfer authority. Assets are restricted during review. After fiduciary authority is verified, assets are transferred or liquidated according to policy and documented instructions. Timing is similar to other exchanges and may be faster when court documents and identification are complete and legible.

Tips that can help:

• Send certified copies or high-quality scans as requested.
• Make sure names and addresses match the court papers.
• Say whether you want an in-kind transfer or fiat liquidation.
• Provide destination instructions, such as an estate bank account or estate-controlled wallet.
• Keep a log of all wallet addresses and transaction IDs for the estate inventory.

Password managers after a death

Password managers can be helpful if the decedent planned ahead. They can also be a hard stop if no emergency access was set and no master key can be found.

1Password, LastPass, and Bitwarden offer emergency or trusted access features. If the decedent granted you emergency access during life, follow that provider's recovery workflow. There may be a configured waiting period. The output may be read-only access or full vault access depending on the settings.

If no emergency access was set up, the provider generally cannot decrypt the vault without the master password, recovery kit, recovery key, or approval from a family or enterprise organizer. RUFADAA may permit disclosure of some records, but it does not require a provider to break encryption.

Look for a 1Password Emergency Kit, printed recovery codes, notes stored on secured drives, or signs that the decedent was part of a family or business plan with an organizer who can assist. Preserve evidence and do not factory-reset devices. After an account moves under estate control, rotate credentials and turn on multi-factor authentication.

Where the NAIC life insurance locator fits, and where it does not

Some families search for life insurance at the same time they are sorting digital accounts, crypto, and online financial records. The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator is often misunderstood.

You submit a request with the decedent's information. NAIC forwards that death information to participating insurance carriers. It is a notification to carriers, not a database you can search. Each carrier checks its own records.

If a carrier finds a matching policy, the carrier contacts the listed beneficiary directly at the address the carrier has on file for that beneficiary. NAIC never tells the person who submitted the request whether a match was found. There is no match or no-match answer, no results page, and no confirmation either way.

That means hearing nothing does not mean there was no policy. If the requester is not the listed beneficiary, if the beneficiary address on file is out of date, or if the beneficiary has moved or died, the notice can go nowhere and the requester may never learn a policy existed.

Sunset works differently. Sunset tells the family where a policy was found and helps them claim it, instead of leaving them waiting on a notice that may never arrive.

Documents providers commonly ask for

For digital access requests, crypto exchange bereavement requests, and similar post-death account matters, executors commonly need:

• Certified death certificate(s)
• Letters Testamentary/Administration or equivalent court appointment
• Government-issued photo ID for the executor
• Account identifiers or proof of ownership, such as usernames, email addresses, wallet addresses, exchange UIDs, or account numbers
• If required by a provider, a court order authorizing disclosure of communications content

Some providers accept high-quality scans. Others may ask for certified copies. If a court has given instructions, follow those instructions.

How Sunset helps with digital assets and crypto

Sunset helps families work through the asset side of estate settlement first: what exists, where it is, who has authority, and what paperwork is needed to move it. That matters for digital assets because the wrong first step, such as logging in with the decedent's credentials or wiping a phone, can make later work harder.

Sunset searches 2,300+ financial institutions to find accounts and assets, including investment, brokerage, banking, insurance, property, vehicle, and cryptocurrency accounts. Account matches and asset inventory are returned in a consolidated view. Most assets surface within 1 business day. Some bank confirmations can take up to two weeks. Families typically find all assets within a week, and many assets appear within one business day.

During discovery, Sunset does not notify institutions except life insurance where legally required. That helps reduce lockout risk while the executor organizes documents.

For exchange-held crypto, Sunset helps prepare provider-specific bereavement packets, documentation requirements, prefilled request letters, and secure upload instructions. Once complete documents are submitted, many exchanges finish reviews in days to a few weeks.

For self-custody crypto, Sunset provides a documentation kit with wallet and address catalog templates, transfer checklists, and chain-of-custody logging. These tools are available immediately. Transfers can proceed as soon as keys are available. Sunset can help catalog wallets and coordinate transfers once the estate has the keys, but it cannot break encryption or recover lost seed phrases.

For probate, Sunset generates state- and county-specific probate packets in all 50 states. When counsel is needed, Sunset refers families to a local probate attorney. Most estates do not need a probate lawyer, but disputes, court questions, or complex legal issues may call for local counsel.

Sunset also helps set up an FDIC-insured, user-controlled estate account to consolidate proceeds, pay expenses, and distribute to heirs. The estate account can be set up in minutes once court documents are ready. For more on why executors often need one, see how to open an estate bank account.

Through Sunset's Terms, estates can authorize Sunset with limited power of attorney for discovery and, with explicit approval, account closure and transfer tasks. Sunset uses SOC 2 Type II controls, identity verification, and fraud prevention to protect estate data and funds.

Sunset's family product is funded through our bank partnership. The estate does not pay Sunset, and all assets go to the beneficiaries and heirs. Sunset has helped 15,000+ families settle estates.

For brokerage, managed accounts, and crypto discovered alongside exchange accounts, Sunset's Investment Account Search can help with consolidation or transfer work: https://www.hellosunset.com/investment-account-search

FAQ

What if the decedent set Apple Legacy Contact or Google Inactive Account Manager?

Use those tools first. They usually control the disclosure path for Apple or Google data. Sunset can still help inventory other assets, locate financial accounts, and consolidate funds into an estate account.

Can an executor get email contents under RUFADAA?

Sometimes, but message content often requires express user consent or a court order. RUFADAA treats email bodies and private messages differently from catalog records such as sender, time, and metadata. Many estate tasks can be handled with records that prove an account exists, without requesting full message content.

What happens if we found a hardware wallet but no seed phrase?

Without the seed phrase or private keys, self-custodied funds are not recoverable. There is no provider that can reset access. Secure the device, look for written backups or recovery materials, document wallet addresses if you can, and keep records in case the keys are found later.

Will asset discovery alert exchanges or lock accounts?

Sunset's search process does not notify institutions except life insurance where legally required. This can help reduce lockout risk while you gather death certificates, Letters Testamentary/Administration, ID, and account identifiers.

How long does a crypto transfer take once an exchange approves it?

Exchange timelines vary. Many complete transfers within days once documents are verified, while other reviews can take days to a few weeks depending on court paperwork, state requirements, volume, and whether compliance checks are complete.

If you are trying to sort digital accounts, crypto, probate paperwork, and estate transfers after a death, Sunset can help you find assets, prepare the right packets, and move funds where they belong.