What Happens to Your Xero Account When You Die
Quick Facts
Risk
Full financial history
Multi-user
Check advisor access
Integrations
May have many connected apps
Professional advice
Required
Step-by-Step Guide
Contact the business accountant
Xero has an advisor role — your accountant may already have access. Check Settings → Users to see who has advisor or standard access. Coordinate with them immediately.
Estimated time: Day 1
Grant admin access to a trusted person
Go to Settings → Users → Invite a User → set role to Admin. Ensure at least two people have admin access to prevent lockout.
Estimated time: Day 1-3
Export all financial data
Export the Chart of Accounts, trial balance, all invoices, bills, bank transactions, and tax returns. Use Accounting → Reports → export each to Excel/PDF.
Estimated time: Week 1
Review connected apps and bank feeds
Check Settings → Connected Apps for integrations (payment processors, inventory, CRM). Review bank feeds under Settings → Bank Accounts. Each connected service needs separate attention.
Estimated time: Week 1-2
Maintain subscription for tax compliance
Keep the Xero subscription active until all tax obligations are met. Financial records must be accessible for the final tax return and any potential audits — typically 3-7 years.
Estimated time: Ongoing
Document Now Checklist
- Xero login email and password
- Organization name in Xero
- Accountant/advisor name and contact info
- List of connected bank accounts
- Subscription plan (Starter, Standard, Premium)
- List of connected third-party apps
Save this to your vault
When you document your accounts in Passed Plan, your family gets a personalized action plan — with only the guides that apply to them, in the right order, with your notes attached.
Start your vault — free for 30 daysLast verified: June 2026. Platform policies may change. Verify current procedures directly with Xero. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Related Guides
Domain Names (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare)
Domains expire on a specific date. If not renewed, they become publicly available and can be registered by anyone.
Shopify
If you have an active Shopify store, orders may continue coming in. Your executor needs access immediately to fulfill or refund.
GitHub
Transfer important private repositories to a trusted collaborator or organisation. Go to Repo Settings → Transfer.
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