Open ProvincesDigital accounts after a death: secure, access and close them
Inventory important online accounts, preserve devices and records, then use each provider's deceased-user process without sharing passwords or bypassing security.
Adapted from a guide first written for Quebec readers: passages specific to Quebec were removed. Rules in your province may differ.
Online accounts can contain bills, family photos, subscriptions, financial information and records needed to settle an estate. Access is controlled by each provider's terms and privacy safeguards; being a relative does not automatically authorize signing in as the deceased person.
Start with an inventory
- Secure the phone, computer, email address and phone number used for account recovery.
- List important email, cloud storage, social-media, financial, shopping, utility and subscription accounts.
- Look for a password manager, written digital-legacy instructions or a provider's legacy-contact setting.
- Preserve relevant statements, invoices and estate records; avoid deleting or resetting devices before checking whether evidence is needed.
Contact providers one at a time
Use the provider's official deceased-user or estate-request process. Ask what proof of death and authority it accepts, whether it can preserve or export data, memorialize an account, stop billing or close it. Keep case numbers and copies of documents submitted.
Protect the estate
Do not guess passwords, impersonate the account holder or send identity documents through an unsolicited link. Coordinate with the liquidator or legal representative before moving funds, deleting files or cancelling a service that may hold estate records.
Sources and limits
Provider procedures vary and may change. For authority to access property or records, consult the liquidator and the relevant professional; do not bypass account security.
General information based on federal and national rules; provincial rules may differ. Confirm with the official body before acting.