What a digital inheritance is and how to leave it organized

A digital inheritance is the set of documents, files, accounts and messages in digital format that a person leaves behind and that their family will need to find and manage someday. Leaving it organized means making an inventory, documenting where everything is and whom to turn to, and appointing trusted people. Legado helps you organize it in a digital vault, but it is not a will: legal rules depend on each country, and for a valid will you should consult an attorney or notary.

What a digital inheritance includes

• Digitized documents: deeds, policies, contracts, certificates.
• Account and service information: banks, insurance, subscriptions and other assets.
• Personal files: photos, videos and letters with sentimental value.
• Instructions and wishes: whom to notify, how certain matters are handled, care preferences.

Step by step to leave it organized

1. Make an inventory

Write down what you have and where it is: documents, accounts, services and important files. A simple inventory is already a great help to whoever has to find the information.

2. Digitize the essentials

Scan or photograph the key documents and keep them in a safe place. In Legado you can upload PDFs and images to your vault and categorize them.

3. Write clear instructions

Document which banks and insurers you have, what assets you own and whom to contact. In Legado there is a space for life instructions with banks, insurance, assets, key contacts and password references.

4. Leave messages if you want to

Some people prefer to leave a letter, an audio or a video for their loved ones. In Legado you can write messages, record them and schedule them for a future date; the free plan includes one text message.

5. Appoint trusted people

Choose who would need access and what they should see. In Legado you appoint heirs with different roles; they receive an invitation by email and only see what you designated.

6. Define how access works, with no surprises

Your heirs' access goes through a protected web portal: they request access with their email, receive a one-time code and wait 72 hours, a period during which you can cancel the request. If you turn on the inactivity alert (a PRO feature, off by default), Legado first asks you, three times over three weeks, and only if you don't respond does it notify the heirs who accepted the invitation.

7. Consult a professional on the legal side

Who inherits what and how a will is formalized depends on the laws of your country. An attorney or a notary can guide you. What you organize in Legado complements that process; it does not replace it.

By hand or with Legado

By hand

• A notebook or a loose file with information that goes out of date and that only you know where to find.
• There is no orderly way for your family to find it when they need it.

With Legado

• A vault with documents, instructions and messages in one place, encrypted in transit and at rest.
• Appointed heirs with access verified by email, a one-time code and a 72-hour wait.
• You decide what is stored and who gets to see it.

Frequently asked questions