What Happens to Your Wave Accounting Account When You Die
Quick Facts
Cost
Free (accounting)
Payments
May have paid features
Data export
CSV available
Step-by-Step Guide
Log in and assess the account
Check what financial data is stored — invoices, expenses, bank connections, and reports. Note if Wave Payments or Wave Payroll are active (these are paid services).
Estimated time: Day 1-3
Export all financial records
Go to Reports and download Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and Sales Tax reports for all available years. Export transactions and customer/vendor lists to CSV.
Estimated time: Week 1
Collect outstanding invoices
Review Invoices → Outstanding. Follow up on any unpaid amounts owed to the business.
Estimated time: Week 1
Review Wave Payments and Payroll
If Wave Payments is active, check for pending payouts. If Wave Payroll is active, this is CRITICAL — employees must continue to be paid. Handle payroll separately.
Estimated time: Week 1
Share records with tax professional
Provide all exported data to the accountant. Since Wave is free, the account can remain open indefinitely as a record archive, but export data as a safeguard.
Estimated time: Week 2
Document Now Checklist
- Wave login email and password
- Business name on account
- Whether Wave Payments is active
- Whether Wave Payroll is active
- Connected bank accounts
Last verified: June 2026. Platform policies may change. Verify current procedures directly with Wave Accounting. 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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