A generation ago, helping a loved one meant finding a checkbook and a filing cabinet. Today it means getting into an email account, a banking app, a password manager, and a dozen logins — and that turns out to be one of the hardest parts of acting as someone’s Power of Attorney. Here’s what you can and can’t do with the digital side of life.
Why digital access is uniquely tricky
Two things collide. First, a general Power of Attorney often doesn’t mention digital accounts at all, because the forms predate them. Second, federal and state laws — plus the terms of service on every platform — restrict who can access someone else’s accounts, even with good intentions. Logging into someone’s email “because you have Power of Attorney” isn’t automatically allowed.
What helps: naming digital authority explicitly
Many states have adopted a version of a law (often called RUFADAA) that lets a person grant a fiduciary — like a Power of Attorney agent — access to their digital assets, if it’s spelled out. The takeaway: a Power of Attorney is far more useful for digital accounts when the document specifically authorizes access to “digital assets” and electronic communications. If yours doesn’t, that’s a gap worth fixing.
Practical steps for agents and families
- Check the document for any mention of digital assets or electronic communications.
- Use the platform’s own tools. Some services have built-in “legacy contact” or account-access features that work independently of your Power of Attorney.
- Don’t just guess passwords or share logins — it can violate terms of service or the law, even when you mean well.
- For financial accounts, go through the institution. Present the Power of Attorney to the bank or brokerage directly rather than logging in as the principal.
The planning move that saves everyone
The easiest fix happens before a crisis: make sure the Power of Attorney explicitly covers digital assets, and keep a secure, current list of critical accounts — not passwords on a sticky note, but a reputable password manager with an emergency-access feature. It’s a small step that spares your family hours of locked doors later.
Our free tools and checklists help you take inventory, and your state’s Handbook explains how digital-asset authority works where you live. Getting the document right the first time is exactly what the POA Caregiver Program is built to teach.
_This article is plain-English education, not legal advice. Power of Attorney law varies by state, and reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. For guidance on your specific situation, talk with a licensed attorney in your state._