Domain names are one of the most straightforward digital assets to value and transfer, yet they are among the most commonly lost after someone dies. A premium domain that took years to acquire or build authority on can expire in as little as 60 days without renewal, after which it becomes available to anyone.
Why domains matter for estate planning
Beyond their direct value, domains often serve as the foundation for other digital assets. A domain might host a business website generating revenue, an email system used for account recovery across dozens of platforms, or a blog with years of content and SEO authority.
When a domain expires, all of these connected systems fail. Business email stops working, which can lock the estate out of other accounts. Customer-facing websites go offline. Revenue stops.
Transfer process
Most registrars (Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap) support domain transfers between accounts. The process typically requires access to the registrar account, an authorization code, and confirmation via the domain contact email. An executor with the right access details can complete this in a few hours.
Enable auto-renewal on valuable domains and ensure the payment method stays active. This buys time for the estate to be processed without risking domain loss.
What to document
- Complete list of domains and their registrar
- Registrar account credentials (stored encrypted)
- Whether domains generate revenue (parking, redirects, active sites)
- Auto-renewal status and payment method
- Transfer preference: keep, transfer to specific person, or let expire