The 15-Minute Digital Emergency Plan for Busy People

You’ve got 10,000 unread emails, three streaming subscriptions you forgot about, and a phone full of passwords you can’t remember. Sound familiar?

Here’s the thing: if something happened to you tomorrow, your family wouldn’t just be sad — they’d be locked out. Out of your photos, your bank apps, maybe even your Netflix account (and that’s just cruel).

The good news? You can fix this in one coffee break. Let’s build your 15-minute digital emergency plan — no spreadsheets, no overwhelm, no guilt trip.

Start simple. Your goal isn’t to list every account you’ve ever made — it’s to give your family a map, not a maze.

Write down these five things:

1. The Essentials: Phone passcode, main email, and computer login.

2. The Money Stuff: Online banking apps, PayPal, Venmo, investment or retirement accounts.

3. The Memory Keepers: Photo storage, social media, and cloud drives.

4. The Bills & Subscriptions: Netflix, utilities, insurance, Amazon Prime.

5. Who’s in Charge: The person who’ll need access first — your “Digital Emergency Contact.”

Now that you’ve got the goods, hide them wisely. You have three main options:

• Option A: Put the list in an envelope labeled “Digital Emergency Plan” and store it with your will or important papers.

• Option B: Upload a copy to a password-protected cloud folder (like Google Drive or Dropbox) and share access only with your trusted contact.

• Option C: Use a password manager (like 1Password or Bitwarden) that lets you set an emergency access option.

Whatever you choose, make sure someone knows it exists. Otherwise, your plan might as well be in a locked drawer labeled “Good Luck.”

This is the most important step and the one people skip.

Pick one trusted person — your spouse, adult child, sibling, or friend — and say:

“Hey, I set up a short digital emergency plan. If anything ever happens, this will make things easier for you.”

You don’t need to share every password right now. Just let them know:

• where to find your plan,

• what’s inside, and

• how to access it if needed.

That’s it. You’ve officially done more than 90% of people ever will.

If you use Apple, Android, or Google, you can add an “In Case of Emergency” contact to your phone or set up Google’s Inactive Account Manager. This makes sure someone can access important info if your account goes silent for a while.

You don’t need to be a tech whiz — just follow the prompts. (Or check out our full guide: Google’s Inactive Account Manager: Your Digital “Dead Man’s Switch.”)

That’s it — your 15-minute digital emergency plan is done. No lawyers, no tech jargon, no panic.

You’ve just made life a little easier for your family (and future-you will be so grateful).

Now go reward yourself. You’ve earned that cookie — and you’ve earned peace of mind, too.

Get the complete Digital Emergency Plan Template to fill out and store in a safe place.

Then share this article with someone you know who keeps saying, "I'll do it later."