As estate planning evolves, the concept of legacy is expanding beyond traditional wealth transfer. In an increasingly digital world, social media, private communications, and even AI-generated versions of ourselves are emerging as new components of a person’s lasting impact. How do Americans feel about these new forms of legacy? The data reveals a generational, cultural, and financial divide in how people perceive their digital presence after death—whether they want it deleted, preserved, or even extended through artificial intelligence.
The Rise of AI-Generated Versions of Ourselves
One of the most futuristic yet controversial advancements in digital legacy planning is the idea of AI-generated digital selves—a technology that could allow individuals to continue “communicating” with loved ones after death. The public is largely skeptical,
Nearly half of Americans (47%) say they find the concept unsettling or unnatural.
However, 16% of respondents say they would feel comfortable with AI replicating their persona
Another 24% say they would consider it if it felt realistic or if their loved ones wanted it.
Predictably, age plays a major role in acceptance of AI-driven digital legacies. The Silent Generation (71%) overwhelmingly rejects the idea, while Gen Z (36%) is the least likely to feel discomfort. Interestingly,
Financial status appears to influence comfort with AI-driven legacies. The wealthiest respondents (those earning over $1M) are over three times more likely than low-income respondents (50% vs. 14%) to be comfortable with an AI version of themselves continuing after death.
However, education trends in the opposite direction—only 13% of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher would feel comfortable with an AI-generated version of themselves, compared to 18% of those with a high school diploma or less. This suggests that higher education may contribute to more skepticism of AI-driven legacy tools, possibly due to greater awareness of AI’s ethical and privacy risks.
A large gender divide emerges here as well. 52% of women reject AI-generated digital selves, compared to just 40% of men. Meanwhile, men (19%) are nearly twice as likely as women (10%) to embrace the idea.
These findings echo broader trust gaps in AI-driven estate planning (covered in Chapter 1). The same demographics who were more skeptical of AI-generated legal advice—women, older generations, and white respondents—are also more resistant to AI-driven digital legacies. This suggests that overall AI skepticism extends beyond financial matters and into deeply personal aspects of legacy and afterlife communication.
Social Media & Estate Planning: What Happens After Death?
Social media has become an integral part of modern life, but what happens to these digital footprints after death? Americans are split between wanting control over their posthumous online presence and not caring what happens to it.
40% of Americans want their accounts deleted.
24% say they “don’t care.”
20% want their accounts preserved or memorialized.
Only 7% want their accounts actively maintained after death.
The desire for deletion increases with age. More than half of the Silent Generation (55%) and Baby Boomers (52%) want their accounts erased. Millennials, however, are evenly split—32% want deletion, while 32% prefer preservation.
Gen Z is the only generation where a notable portion (11%) wants their social media accounts actively maintained after death—far higher than the average and the Silent Generation (1%). This reflects a shift toward viewing digital presence as an extension of identity rather than simply an online archive.
Household income also plays a role. Lower-income respondents (under $250K) are most likely to want their accounts deleted (41%), while higher-income respondents ($250K+) are more interested in account preservation (28%).
Racial and cultural factors shape social media afterlife preferences as well:
White respondents (42%) are the most likely to want their accounts deleted.
Native respondents (30%) are the most likely to want their accounts preserved, and 14% of them want someone to continue posting—double the national average.
While estate planning has long focused on physical assets, this data suggests that digital legacies now require careful consideration—especially as younger generations increasingly view their online presence as an essential part of their identity.
Privacy After Death: Should Digital Communications Stay Private?
Emails, direct messages, and texts contain deeply personal and sometimes sensitive information—but do Americans want their families to have access to them after death?
The majority of Americans (45%) say it’s not important to them whether their private messages are viewed posthumously. However, 32% say it’s important that their messages remain private from their families, and 23% say they “don’t care.”
The younger you are, the more likely you are to want privacy. Gen Z (52%) is the most concerned about keeping their digital communications private, while only 12% of the Silent Generation shares this concern.
Higher-income individuals are slightly more concerned with digital privacy. 38% of those earning over $200K, and nearly half (47%) of those earning over $1M, say it’s important their messages stay private—compared to 33% of those earning under $200K.
Gender plays a role as well, with men (37%) more likely than women (30%) to prioritize digital privacy after death.
There are also stark racial differences in digital privacy attitudes:
Native respondents (51%) are the most likely to say their messages should remain private.
All non-white respondents (45%) are significantly more likely than white respondents (28%) to value digital privacy.
These findings suggest that for many, estate planning must now consider digital privacy rights—especially among younger generations, high-income individuals, and minority communities who prioritize keeping their personal communications confidential after death.
These insights were unveiled in the groundbreaking 2025 Trust & Will Estate Planning Report—the largest estate planning survey ever conducted. Click here to view the full report.
Trust & Will is an online service providing legal forms and information. We are not a law firm and we do not provide legal advice.
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