Last updated: November 20, 2025

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Sunset’s automated executor software helps you locate, access, and transfer crypto, email, cloud storage, social media, and other online accounts after a death—always free to families. This page explains your options under RUFADAA, how to handle exchange vs. self-custody crypto, and what we deliver and when.

Quick intake: choose your path

• If crypto was held on an exchange (e.g., Coinbase, Kraken, Binance. US)

• Gather: certified death certificate, Letters Testamentary/Administration, your government ID, and the decedent’s email/username.

• Next: request transfer through the exchange’s bereavement/probate process; do not attempt to log in using personal credentials.

• Outcome: assets moved in kind to an estate-controlled wallet (when supported) or liquidated to USD for the estate account.

• If crypto was self-custodied (hardware/software wallet, seed phrase)

• Keys required: funds are only recoverable with the seed phrase or private keys; no provider can restore them.

• Next: secure devices and any written backups; inventory addresses; identify multisig co-signers if applicable.

• Outcome: once keys are available, transfer to estate-controlled wallets or liquidate per your instructions.

What we return and how fast

• Account matches and asset inventory

• What you get: a consolidated inventory of likely investment, brokerage, and crypto accounts, plus digital platforms tied to the decedent.

• Timing: most assets surface within 1 business day; some bank confirmations can take up to two weeks.

• Exchange bereavement packets

• What you get: provider-specific documentation requirements, prefilled request letters, and secure upload instructions.

• Timing: once complete docs are submitted, many exchanges finish reviews in days to a few weeks.

• Self-custody documentation kit

• What you get: wallet/address catalog templates, transfer checklists, and chain-of-custody logging.

• Timing: immediate tools; transfers proceed as soon as keys are available.

• Estate bank account setup

• What you get: FDIC-insured, user-controlled estate account for consolidating proceeds, paying expenses, and distributing to heirs.

• Timing: set up in minutes once court documents are ready.

Introduction

Digital estates now include cloud accounts, email, photos, social media, password managers, and cryptocurrency held on exchanges or in self-custody wallets. After a death, access and transfer of these assets are governed by state versions of the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA) and each provider’s policies. Sunset automates discovery and transfer of financial and digital assets, including crypto, while keeping families in control and at zero cost. See how Sunset consolidates and distributes assets, generates probate documents nationwide, and protects data and funds.

What to do first (executor checklist)

• Preserve access: Secure the decedent’s phone, email, and computers; do not factory‑reset devices.

• Safeguard keys: Locate any seed phrases, hardware wallets, password manager recovery kits, and written backups.

• Gather core documents: Certified death certificate(s), Letters Testamentary/Administration, your government ID, and any account identifiers (emails, usernames, wallet addresses).

• Check legacy tools first: Review Apple Legacy Contact and Google Inactive Account Manager if they were set up.

• Inventory likely accounts: List exchanges or brokers the decedent used and any self‑custody wallets you’ve found.

• Start automated discovery: Use Sunset to surface investment, brokerage, and crypto accounts alongside banking and insurance in 1 business day.

• Open an estate account: Consolidate proceeds into an FDIC‑insured estate bank account to pay expenses and distribute to heirs.

• Avoid using personal logins: Exchanges generally won’t grant live credentials; request transfers through their bereavement process.

• Enable MFA on estate tools: Turn on multi‑factor authentication wherever the estate will transact.

• Keep a paper trail: Log addresses, transaction IDs, correspondence, and decisions for court and beneficiaries.

See also: If you uncover brokerage or managed accounts alongside crypto, streamline next steps with our Investment Account Search: https://www.hellosunset.com/investment-account-search

Bereavement policy quick references (U.S. exchanges)

Note: Exact requirements vary by state and are subject to change. Exchanges typically require certified death certificate, Letters, executor ID, and account identifiers. They transfer assets to an estate account or named beneficiary; live login access is generally not provided.

• Coinbase (U.S.): Submit death certificate, Letters, executor ID, and the decedent’s email/UID if known. Expect identity/court verification and transfer or liquidation per instructions; timing is often days to a few weeks once documents are complete.

• Kraken (U.S.): Provide death certificate, Letters or equivalent, executor ID, and account email/username. Case handled via a probate/bereavement queue with in‑kind transfer or conversion to fiat when supported.

• Binance. US: Provide death certificate, Letters, executor ID, and account identifiers; some matters may require a court order specifying authority. Assets are restricted during review and then transferred or liquidated per policy.

Tip: State clearly whether you want an in‑kind crypto transfer to an estate‑controlled wallet or conversion to USD for deposit into the estate bank account to reduce back‑and‑forth.

RUFADAA: What it enables for executors and trustees

• Purpose: RUFADAA authorizes a court-appointed fiduciary (executor/administrator/personal representative, trustee, or agent under POA) to obtain access to a decedent’s digital assets from custodians, subject to user consent, privacy limits, and provider terms.

• Tools hierarchy: If the decedent used a provider’s in‑product legacy tool (e.g., Legacy Contact or Inactive Account Manager), those directions generally control. If not, RUFADAA looks to the decedent’s will/estate documents; absent that, provider terms and state law govern.

• Content vs. records: RUFADAA distinguishes “content of communications” (e.g., email bodies/messages) from “catalog records” (e.g., sender, time, metadata). Access to message content typically requires express user consent or a court order; catalog records may be available with standard fiduciary authority.

• Provider compliance: Custodians can require specific records (death certificate, Letters Testamentary/Administration, ID, account identifiers) and may deliver copies/exports instead of granting live credentials.

• State implementation: Nearly all U.S. states have enacted a version of RUFADAA with local variations. Executors should follow their state’s statute and any court instructions before requesting access.

Note: This page is informational, not legal advice. Consult local counsel for state‑specific requirements.

Common platform pathways (executor view)

Below are typical post‑death avenues referenced by major platforms. Exact steps and documentation vary by provider and state law. If the decedent set legacy preferences, use them first; otherwise, follow the bereavement process with court documents.

How Sunset inventories and transfers digital and crypto assets

Sunset’s automated executor software discovers, secures, and consolidates accounts—including investment, brokerage, and cryptocurrency accounts—then executes transfers or distributions at your direction.

• Automated discovery: Our software correlates identity signals and financial integrations to surface investment and crypto accounts alongside banking, insurance, and property. Most families locate the majority of assets within one business day; some bank balances take up to two weeks to confirm.

• Do-not-notify search posture: During discovery we do not notify institutions (except life insurance where legally required), minimizing account lockouts while the executor organizes documents.

• Estate authority and POA: Through our Terms, estates can authorize Sunset with limited power of attorney for discovery and, with explicit approval, account closure and transfer tasks.

• Consolidation and payout: We set up an FDIC‑insured estate bank account (user‑controlled) to receive proceeds, pay expenses, and distribute to heirs. Sunset is always free for families; we are paid by bank partners via interest on estate balances—never by deducting from inheritances.

• Security and privacy: SOC 2 Type II controls, identity verification, and fraud prevention protect estates and data. Review our privacy practices.

Crypto probate: exchange vs. self‑custody scenarios

• Exchange‑held crypto

• Discovery: We surface likely exchange relationships during asset discovery.

• Access path: Executor supplies death certificate, Letters, and ID; the exchange transfers assets to the estate account or to named beneficiaries per its policy and state law.

• Liquidity choices: Keep as crypto, transfer in kind if supported, or liquidate to fiat for estate expenses and distributions.

• Self‑custody wallets

• Keys required: Private keys or seed phrase are essential; no custodian can restore funds without them.

• Practical steps: Inventory devices (hardware wallets, recovery cards), secure any seed backups, and document wallet addresses. If multisig, identify all co‑signers.

• Sunset’s role: We help catalog wallets and coordinate transfers once keys are available, but we cannot break encryption or recover lost seeds.

Exchange‑specific bereavement workflows (U.S.)

Note: Requirements vary by state and individual facts; providers may update policies without notice. Follow any court instructions and your state’s RUFADAA statute.

• Coinbase (U.S.)

• What executors prepare: certified death certificate, Letters Testamentary/Administration (or small‑estate docs if applicable), your government ID, decedent’s Coinbase email/UID if known, and a brief cover note describing the request (transfer to the estate, liquidation, or beneficiary payout if supported).

• What to expect: identity and court‑order verification; assets typically moved to an estate account or liquidated to USD at your direction when permitted; exchanges generally do not grant live login credentials.

• Timing: document review can take days to a few weeks depending on court paperwork completeness and state requirements.

• Kraken (U.S.)

• What executors prepare: death certificate, Letters or equivalent court appointment, executor ID, relevant account identifiers (email/username), and any prior beneficiary instructions found in the decedent’s records.

• What to expect: case creation in a probate/bereavement queue, request for any missing details, and either in‑kind transfer (where supported) or conversion to fiat for distribution to the estate.

• Timing: varies by state and volume; expect back‑and‑forth correspondence until compliance checks are satisfied.

• Binance. US

• What executors prepare: death certificate, Letters, executor ID, and account identifiers; some cases may require a court order specifying access/transfer authority.

• What to expect: verification of fiduciary authority, account restriction during review, and transfer or liquidation per policy and your documented instructions.

• Timing: similar to other exchanges; faster when court documents and identification are complete and legible.

Tips to reduce delays

• Send certified copies or high‑quality scans as requested and ensure names/addresses match court papers.

• Specify the desired outcome (in‑kind transfer vs. fiat liquidation) and provide destination instructions (estate bank or estate‑controlled wallet).

• Keep a log of all wallet addresses and transaction IDs for the estate inventory.

Password managers: emergency access and post‑death options

• If emergency access was set up

• 1Password, LastPass, and Bitwarden offer emergency/trusted access features. If the decedent granted you emergency access in life, follow the provider’s recovery workflow to unlock the vault within the configured waiting period.

• Outputs: read‑only or full vault access depending on settings; use credentials to locate and transfer financial accounts. Do not reuse personal logins for estate activity—move funds to estate‑controlled accounts.

• If no emergency access was set up

• Providers generally cannot decrypt vaults without the master password, recovery kit/key, or family/enterprise organizer approval.

• Practical steps: look for recovery materials (e.g., 1Password Emergency Kit, printed recovery codes, stored keys on secured drives), check whether the decedent was in a family/business plan with an organizer who can assist, and consult the will for any instructions. RUFADAA may permit disclosure of certain records, but it does not require a provider to break encryption.

• Security best practices for estates

• Catalogue vaults and device locations; preserve evidence (do not factory‑reset devices).

• Rotate credentials after transfer to estate control; enable MFA on estate accounts.

See also: For brokerage, managed accounts, and crypto discovered alongside exchange accounts, review our Investment Account Search to consolidate or transfer holdings efficiently: https://www.hellosunset.com/investment-account-search

Documents executors typically need for digital access requests

• Certified death certificate(s)

• Letters Testamentary/Administration or equivalent court appointment

• Government‑issued photo ID for the executor

• Account identifiers or proof of ownership (usernames, email addresses, wallet addresses)

• If required by a provider: specific court orders authorizing disclosure of communications content

Why estates use Sunset for digital assets

• End‑to‑end automation across assets (banking, investments, life insurance, property, vehicles, crypto) with county‑specific probate paperwork in all 50 states.

• Zero cost to families; full control over timing and actions.

• Proven speed: families typically find all assets within a week; many assets appear within one business day.

• Security: SOC 2 Type II, identity verification, and fraud controls.

FAQs

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

• Use those tools first; they usually override default rules and streamline disclosure. Sunset can still help inventory other assets and consolidate funds.

• Can Sunset obtain email contents for proof of assets?

• Under RUFADAA, message content often requires explicit consent or a court order. We focus on records sufficient to locate and transfer accounts, minimizing requests for content unless necessary.

• We found a hardware wallet but no seed phrase—what now?

• Without the seed or private keys, self‑custodied funds are not recoverable. Sunset can help with secure cataloging and next steps if keys are later located.

• Will discovery alert exchanges or lock accounts?

• Our search process does not notify institutions (except life insurance), reducing lockout risk while you prepare documents.

• How long does crypto transfer take once approved?

• Exchange timelines vary; many complete within days once documents are verified. Sunset coordinates paperwork and fund movement into the estate account.

• How much does Sunset cost?

• Always free to families. We’re paid by partner banks via interest on estate funds—never by taking a percentage of the inheritance.

• Is a probate lawyer required?

• Most estates don’t need one; Sunset generates county‑specific probate documents nationwide. Engage counsel when court disputes or complex legal issues arise.

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