What Happens to Your Facebook, GCash, and Bank Accounts When You Die? A Filipino Guide to Digital Estate Planning
Learn how to protect your passwords, online accounts, and e-wallets so your spouse and kids are not left guessing when you die. A Filipino digital estate guide.
ESTATE PLANNING
David Isaiah Angway RFP
12/7/202512 min read
Don’t Let Your Passwords Die With You: A Filipino Guide To Digital Estate Planning For Your Family.
Easily grant your family access to your digital assets and save them from future stress.
If something happened to you, would your spouse know how to access your essential accounts and vital transaction details? Or would they be left wondering, “Saan ba talaga napunta lahat ng pinaghirapan niya?"
Table of Contents (Tap to Jump)
Two Stories Filipino Families Know Too Well
Social Media
Important Note
TL;DR
Without a digital estate plan, your family may not know about your accounts, assets, or how to access them.
This guide helps you ensure your loved ones can efficiently claim your digital and financial assets and avoid unnecessary difficulties.
What accounts do you have
Where your money is
How to access it
Your banks, GCash, PayPal, crypto, and online businesses won’t automatically transfer just because "alam naman ng asawa ko na may ipon ako.
" It's important to know that banks, e-wallets, and online platforms will require legal documents and a formal process for asset transfer. This means your family can't directly access their funds or information by default, and they will need to go through the proper channels to claim your assets.
Take action: create your digital estate plan now so your family won’t be left in the dark when something happens to you. Secure your digital assets today to give your loved ones real peace of mind and access when they need it most.
Two Stories Filipino Families Know Too Well
Story 1: “I Lost My Husband… And I Lost His Passwords Too”
Mark, 42, is an OFW in Dubai; classic family provider:
3 bank accounts in the Philippines
GCash and Maya
A crypto app
Online banking for his salary
A Facebook page for his small side business
A Gmail account he uses for everything
One day, Mark had a stroke and died a few days later.
His wife, Mia, is left with:
Two kids in a private school
Monthly bills
And zero idea about passwords, PINs, and where the money is
She knows Mark has “ipon sa bangko” but:
She doesn’t know which banks.
She doesn’t know account numbers.
She doesn’t know if he has insurance or investments.
She can’t open his phone or his email.
She goes from bank to bank, asking if her husband has an account there.
She submits death certificates, IDs, and forms. She waits. She follows up.
Meanwhile, unpaid bills and school fees pile up.
The painful part:
There was money.
But there was no plan.
Mini takeaway:
Love isn’t just about providing while you’re alive. It’s also about making things clear for your family when you’re gone.
Story 2: The Life Insurance They Couldn’t Claim
This time, it’s a different kind of loss:
The benefit was there, paid and ready, but it never reached the family.
Jun is 39, a supervisor at a manufacturing company in Laguna.
He’s a good husband and father;
He pays the mortgage on their small house.
He sends his kids to a decent private school.
He commutes every day, rain or shine.
A friend introduces him to a financial advisor. Jun gets convinced and buys two life insurance plans:
One-term insurance for protection
One VUL plan for long-term savings and the kids’ education
Every month, he pays faithfully. Hindi siya nagmi-miss ng due date.
Like many Filipinos, he keeps everything online:
E-policy in his email
Payment notices via email
Agent contact saved in Messenger
Policy numbers in a photo saved on his phone
He never prints the policies.
He never explains the details to his wife, Liza, because:
“Ayoko siyang ma-stress, basta the point, may insurance ako para sa inyo.”
A year later, Jun gets into a car accident on the way home.
He doesn’t survive.
At the wake, Liza keeps hearing:
“Di ba may insurance si Jun?”
“Alam mo ba kung magkano makukuha mo?”
She wants to believe something is there, but:
She doesn’t know the name of the insurance company.
She doesn’t know the policy number.
She doesn’t know the advisor’s name or number.
Worse,
She can’t unlock Jun’s phone.
She doesn’t know his main Gmail password.
She can’t open his Facebook account, where all the messages with the advisor are
Weeks pass. Then months.
She is busy:
Fixing papers for SSS and company benefits
Taking care of the kids
Worrying about their monthly amortization
Almost a year later, a former co-worker messages her:
“Sis, na-claim mo na ba yung life insurance ni Jun? Sayang naman.”
Liza replies with something that breaks your heart:
“Hindi ko nga alam saan mag-uumpisa.”
Jun did the right thing by getting insured.
But the family never maximized what he prepared because:
The information was trapped behind passwords.
There were no clear instructions.
The digital trail was never shared.
This is what lost opportunity looks like.
The money existed. The protection was there.
But the bridge between Jun’s plan and his family’s reality was missing.
What Is Your “Digital Estate”?
When we say estate, most Filipinos think,
House and lot
Car
Cash in the bank
Today, your digital estate is also a big part of your wealth; it includes:
Social media accounts
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
Email accounts
Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo
These are critical because they receive OTPs and password resets.
Financial apps and wallets
GCash, Maya, SeaBank, Tonik, UNO, GoTyme, ING, PayPal
Online banking
BPI, BDO, Metrobank, Security Bank, Landbank, etc.
Investments
COL, BPI Trade, Seedbox, eToro, crypto exchanges
E-commerce wallets and points
ShopeePay, Lazada Wallet, GrabPay, Foodpanda credits
Online businesses and content
Monetized YouTube, TikTok, Facebook pages, blogs, and domains
All of these are part of your estate.
If you die, they don’t automatically disappear.
They become assets that your heirs may or may not be able to reach.
What Actually Happens To Your Accounts When You Die?
Social Media
Platforms like Facebook and Google have their own rules:
Facebook can memorialize your account.
A trusted contact can manage some parts if you set it in advance.
Accounts can sometimes be deleted if the family requests and submits documents.
What they don’t do is magically give your spouse full access to your passwords and messages.
Privacy rules are strict, even after death.
Email is the master key.
Without access to your email, your spouse may not be able to:
Reset passwords
Recover accounts
See what subscriptions, loans, or investments you have.
Providers can be very strict about giving access, even with a death certificate.
Banks and E-Wallets
Legally, money in your bank and e-wallets is part of your estate.
In practice, it’s not simple:
The bank will not give your spouse your online banking logins.
Your spouse must go through the estate settlement process.
If nobody even knows an account exists, it might never be claimed.
That “secret” savings account nobody knows about?
It may end up unused and frozen.
Why Digital Estate Planning Matters For Filipino Families
In many Filipino households:
One person is “in charge of money.”
The other spouse trusts, but doesn’t know the details.
When the money manager dies, the family is blind.
This leads to:
Delayed access to funds
Missed accounts and investments
Lost life insurance claims
Stress on top of grief
Digital estate planning isn’t about being morbid. It’s a caring way to make sure your loved ones are secure, can access your assets, and have support when you’re no longer around.
It’s about looking after your spouse and children.
It’s about making sure:
Your life insurance is actually claimed.
Your savings are actually used for your kids.
Your digital assets don’t die with your passwords.
Step 1: Make a Master List (Don’t Rely on Memory)
First, create a clear list of all accounts, policies, and assets you own.
Don’t rely on memory. Write it down or store it securely.
List your:
Banks and digital banks
E-wallets (GCash, Maya, etc.)
Investment and trading apps
Loans and credit cards
Insurance policies
Social media and email accounts
Online businesses and domains
For each item, note:
Platform name (e.g., “BPI Online”)
What you use it for (“salary account,” “emergency fund,” “crypto,” “business income,” “life insurance policy”)
Rough value / balance range
Where the login details are stored (not necessarily the exact password)
For insurance: company name, policy number, advisor’s name, and contact
You can store this list:
In a physical notebook kept in a safe place
In an encrypted file (password-protected Excel, secure notes)
Inside a password manager as secure notes
Start your list today and ensure your spouse knows exactly where it's kept. Don’t wait—your family’s future depends on your actions right now. Protect them and act by making your digital estate plan immediately.
To get started, consider using a simple format for your list:
- Account Name: The name of the bank, e-wallet, or service.
- Use: What the account is for (e.g., salary account, crypto investments).
- Estimated Value: A rough estimate of the current balance or asset value.
- Location of Information: Where to find login details or additional information (e.g., in a password manager, written in a secure notebook).
This straightforward approach will make it easier for your spouse to understand and access your digital estate.
Step 2: Use a Password Manager and One Master Password
Instead of giving your spouse 20 passwords, make it simple.
Use a password manager.
Examples: 1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass, etc.
Save all your:
Logins
Secure notes (policy numbers, account numbers, agent contacts)
Create one master password for the password manager.
Store the master password:
In a sealed envelope
In a safe or safety deposit box
Clearly mentioned in your will or a separate Letter of Wishes. A Letter of Wishes is an informal note to guide your family. Now your spouse just needs to know where to find that envelope or document, not every single PIN or password.
Step 3: Turn On “Legacy” Features in Facebook and Google
These are some of the easiest but most forgotten steps.
On Facebook: Set a Legacy Contact
Go to Settings → Memorialization Settings
Choose a Legacy Contact (your spouse or trusted person)
They can:
Manage your memorialized profile picture and cover photo.
Pin a post on your timeline.
Request account deletion, depending on your settings
This helps:
Announce your passing properly.
Prevent scammers from using your account.
Preserve important conversations and memories.
On Google: Use Inactive Account Manager
Search “Google Inactive Account Manager”
Decide:
After how many months of inactivity should Google act?
Who gets notified
What data can they download (Drive, Gmail, Photos, YouTube, etc)
These tools let you choose who gets access and what they can see if you become inactive.
Set them up now to protect your family and accounts.
Step 4: Have “The Talk” With Your Spouse
In Filipino culture, many families avoid talking about death. “Wag pag-usapan, bad luck.”
But here’s the truth:
Not talking about it doesn’t prevent death.
It just guarantees confusion when it happens.
Have a simple, honest conversation:
“If something happens to me, ayokong naglalakad ka sa lahat ng bangko para manghula.
Here’s a list of accounts, here are the policies, and here is who you can call.”
You can even make it a yearly tradition:
Have a “Family Finance Day” once a year.
Update your:
Digital accounts list
Insurance policies
Loans and mortgages
Important documents
Commit today:
Make this a habit to keep your family secure, not just a one-time task.
Step 5: Include Digital Assets in Your Will or Estate Plan
When you prepare a will or formal estate plan with a lawyer, include your digital assets. Make sure to check if Philippine law requires any specific wording or notarization for digital assets mentioned in your will. Consulting with a lawyer is advisable to ensure that all legal requirements are met. You can:
You can:
Authorize your executor or spouse to access and manage your digital accounts.
Specify who inherits:
Business Facebook pages
YouTube or TikTok accounts that earn money
Websites and domains
Attach a “Letter of Wishes” (non-legal but very practical), including:
Where your digital inventory is kept
Contact details of your financial planner, lawyer, or advisor
A simple explanation of the “big picture” of your finances
This way, your legal documents and practical instructions work together.
Step 6: Adjust For Real Filipino Realities
Real life is messy, especially in Filipino families.
Remember:
Many accounts are personally named but used for the whole family.
Some people mix personal and business funds.
One spouse often knows “everything,” the other knows almost nothing.
What helps:
Make sure both spouses have at least:
One personal account
One shared or household account for emergencies.
Teach your spouse the basics:
How to check balances
How to contact the bank
Where to find important documents
Who your financial planner or insurance advisor is
This isn’t about mistrust.
It’s about protecting your family if something unexpected happens.
Quick Checklist: Digital Estate Plan for Filipinos
Use this as your action list after reading:
Digital Estate Planning Checklist (Philippines)
Create a digital assets inventory.
Banks, e-wallets, investments, insurance
Email, social media, and online businesses
Store passwords wisely
Use a password manager.
Have one master password
Keep the master password in a secure but findable place.
Set up legacy controls.
Facebook Legacy Contact
Google Inactive Account Manager
Prepare documents
Basic will that mentions digital assets
A Letter of Wishes for your spouse and kids
Have the conversation
Do an annual Family Finance Day
Update your list and review your plan.
But What If Everything Is On Face ID or Fingerprint?
You might be thinking:
“Safe naman ako, naka-Face ID / fingerprint na lahat ng apps ko.”
Good for security while you’re alive.
But it can be very hard for your family if there’s no backup plan.
Biometrics are for you.
They are not for your heirs.
Face ID, fingerprint, and biometrics only do one thing:
Quickly unlock your phone or app.
Behind that, there’s still:
A phone passcode or PIN
An email + password
For crypto: a seed phrase / private key
If you die and:
No one knows your phone passcode.
No one knows your primary email and passwords.
No one knows your crypto seed phrase.
Your spouse and kids are locked out, even if they have your phone.
What this means for your family
If everything is “nasa phone lang”:
E-wallets (GCash, Maya)
Family may not know the number, MPIN, or even that the wallet exists.
Small balances are often quietly lost.
Crypto wallets
For exchanges (Coins.ph, Binance, etc.), they’ll need legal papers and proof that you had an account.
For self-custody wallets (MetaMask, Trust Wallet, hardware wallet),
No seed phrase = no access = crypto gone forever
Online banking & apps
Without your passcode or reset access via email/SMS, they may never log in.
They’ll have to go through banks the long, manual way.
Simple fix if you use biometrics
Keep using Face ID and fingerprints for convenience, but make sure you have a backup plan:
Write down the basics.
Phone model + SIM number used for banking/e-wallets
Main email address used for finance apps
Use a password manager.
Store all logins there.
Protect it with one master password.
Secure the master key.
Put that master password (and crypto seed phrases)
In a sealed envelope or safe
Mention it in your will or Letter of Wishes.
Biometrics protect you while you’re here.
Your password plan and written instructions will protect your family when you’re gone.
Final Thoughts and Gentle Nudge
Your spouse shouldn’t have to solve a puzzle to access the money you set aside for them.
If you’re already:
Paying for insurance
Saving in multiple accounts
Investing online
Running digital businesses
It’s your responsibility to make it easy for your family to access everything after you’re gone.
You don’t control when you die.
But you can control how hard or easy it is for the people you love.
Important Note
This article is for education, not legal advice. Estate and inheritance rules can be complex, especially in the Philippines. As a first step, consider listing your digital assets or scheduling a family talk to discuss your digital estate plan. This proactive approach can empower you and your loved ones to take immediate action. For specific situations, always:
For specific situations, always:
Consult a lawyer for wills and estate documents.
Talk to a licensed financial planner or advisor who understands Philippine law and local platforms.
Work With David on Your Digital Estate Plan
If this article made you realize, “Wala pa talaga akong ayos na plano for my digital life,” you don’t have to fix it alone.
David Angway is a Registered Financial Planner and estate-planning advisor who works quietly but closely with Filipino families, professionals, and entrepreneurs who want their money—and their passwords—to outlive them with dignity.
In a private 1:1 session, David can help you:
Map your full digital estate (banks, e-wallets, crypto, insurance, online businesses)
Design a simple, secure system for passwords, seed phrases, and key documents.
Clarify what to communicate to your spouse and heirs without causing fear or conflict.
Coordinate your digital estate with your existing insurance, investments, and will
This is not about fear.
It’s about leaving order, not confusion, to the people you love.
Next step:
Book a Digital Estate Planning Consultation with David and start putting a quiet structure behind everything you’ve built.
Next Recommended Read
What Happens When You Make Your Minor Child an Irrevocable Beneficiary in the Philippines?
If your digital estate is one side of the story, your insurance beneficiaries are the other.
In this article, you’ll learn:
Why naming your underage child as an irrevocable beneficiary can trap your own money
How it affects your ability to adjust coverage, change plans, or access funds in a crisis
Safer, more strategic options for Filipino parents who want to protect their kids without creating legal headaches
If you’re a parent thinking, “Basta nakapangalan sa anak ko, safe na ’yan,” this is your next must-read.
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Read next: What Happens When You Make Your Minor Child an Irrevocable Beneficiary in the Philippines?
© 2025 David Angway