As part of the estate planning services we provide, our attorneys will help you deal with the impact on your children and your finances when you pass away. For decades if not centuries, good estate planning lawyers make sure both are provided for.
One aspect of estate planning that is relatively new, however, is your digital legacy. What happens when you die to your Facebook account, your Linked-in account, your email accounts, and the countless other online accounts most of use each day? Ars Technica ran an interesting article on the policies each of those companies follow when a user dies. Suffice it to say, it would be extremely time consuming and difficult for our survivors to access all those accounts without help.
Each of us needs to take the time, now, to ensure that our family will have continuing access to those online accounts which in many ways help define us.
Of course, you can always write down a list of accounts, user names and passwords. This method is effective, but insecure. Imagine the harm that could come if that list got 'out' and into the hands of someone untrustworthy!
Other alternatives exist. There are several online companies that will provide an online 'digital locker.' These work to store all of your account information for your various accounts in a secure manner. Upon proof of your death or disability, individuals you designate will be given permission to access your digital locker and thus have access to all your accounts, user names, and the like.
One service we have been playing with is Legacy Locker. They offer a free, limited trial account, which Matt is trying now. I will post a full review here in the next few weeks. There are other similar services out there. Whichever one you choose, or whatever method you use, please take the time now to make sure your family has continuing access to your digital presence.
There is also a good post here describing some other services and methods you can use.