Trust Company Talks

Most people spend hours crafting a will or revising a trust. However, very few have given a moment's thought to what happens to their email, photos, social media accounts or cryptocurrency when they pass away. That oversight can leave loved ones locked out, confused, or scrambling to find critical accounts and information.

On the newest episode of Trust Company Talks, hosts Bill Noble and Burke Koonce talk with Hannah Baublitz, J.D., General Counsel of Trust Company of the South, for a direct conversation about digital assets and the critical role they should play in your estate plan. Hannah brings over two decades of legal experience to a problem that barely existed when she started her career: the legal reality of managing someone's digital life after they pass away.

North Carolina adopted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act in 2016, but it remains one of the least understood pieces of estate law. Hannah provides the practical steps anyone can take today, the platforms people actually use (Apple, Meta, Google, Venmo, Etsy) and what happens when you don't plan at all. She explains the three-tier system of access, introduces the concept of a digital executor and addresses the specific challenge of cryptocurrency, where the phrase "not your key, not your coin" takes on urgent meaning.

In the conversation:
  • What actually counts as a digital asset, and why it's far broader than most people realize
  • The three-tier hierarchy that governs access to your digital accounts after death
  • Which online platforms have built-in tools to manage your accounts, and how to set them up
  • How to include digital asset language in your power of attorney, trust or will
  • The unique challenge of cryptocurrency and why private keys matter
  • Best practices for keeping an inventory and updating your plan as technology changes
Your digital accounts are part of your estate, but most people's plans don't address them. This episode covers what you need to do so your family isn't left guessing.

Additional resources are available to support your planning: a Digital Asset Planning Checklist to walk you through creating your inventory and updating your estate documents, plus a Digital Assets blog article that covers the legal framework and specific platform tools.

Trust Company Talks is a production of Trust Company of the South, one of the premier wealth management firms in the Southeast. Trust Company is a privately held firm based in Greensboro, NC, with offices in Charlotte and Raleigh. You can find more episodes of Trust Company Talks on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.

Creators and Guests

Guest
Bill Noble
Guest
Burke Koonce

What is Trust Company Talks?

Trust Company Talks is an investing and wealth management podcast brought to you by Trust Company of the South. Hosted by Bill Noble and Burke Koonce, Trust Company Talks features guests discussing a wide range of topics of interest for individual and institutional investors with a particular focus on wealth management. Enjoy!