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Innovation is alive and well in Vienna - we live in smart homes, work in the cloud and invest in digital assets. But what happens to our data when we are no longer around? The "digital legacy" is one of the most underestimated aspects of modern inheritance law. As your law firm in Vienna, we can show you how to make provisions today to spare your surviving dependants unnecessary hurdles tomorrow.
A will used to regulate the house, the savings account and the jewelry. Today, Facebook profiles, crypto wallets and cloud storage are also part of the estate. In this article, you will find out why digital inheritance affects everyone and what the legal situation is in Austria.
The digital estate comprises all rights and obligations that a person has to digital data and accounts. A distinction is made between three main areas:
Assets: Balances with payment services (PayPal), cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum) or income from digital channels (e.g. YouTube income).
In Austria, the principle of Universal succession. This means that the heirs succeed to (almost) all legal positions of the deceased.
The trap: Without access data, subscriptions (streaming, cloud) often continue to run for months and are a burden on the inheritance, while important documents are lost in blocked emails.
Don't wait for the legislator to solve all your problems for you. Take these three steps to create clarity:
Create a list of all your accounts. Important: Do not write passwords in a classic will (as this can become public after your death), but use a password manager or an encrypted list.
Determine who should take care of your digital estate. This does not necessarily have to be the main heir. You can name a person in the will who is explicitly responsible for handling the online accounts.
A will that ignores the digital estate is incomplete in the 21st century. We support you in making your will complete:
Dispute avoidance: Clear rules prevent heirs from having to argue about access to private messages or photos.
The digital estate is not an issue for "someday", but an essential part of your assets and your privacy.
Do the check: Would your relatives know how to unlock your PC or cancel current online contracts in an emergency?
Let's secure your inheritance together. Make an appointment at our law firm in Seestadt. We will advise you personally and comprehensibly on all questions of modern inheritance law.
The Nagler Law Firm will be happy to advise you personally and comprehensively on all legal issues. Our aim is not only to provide legally correct advice, but above all to do so in an understandable, forward-looking and solution-oriented manner. Every legal situation is individual - which is why we take the time to understand your concerns in detail and develop a tailor-made strategy together with you.
