Handling Digital Assets After Death
As we increasingly live our lives online, our digital assets become an important part of our legacy. From social media accounts to online banking, we leave behind a digital footprint that can be difficult to manage after we pass away. That’s why it’s important to have a plan in place for handling digital assets after death.
Why Digital Asset Management is Important
Our digital lives contain important information that can be difficult to access after we pass away. Social media accounts, for example, can be a treasure trove of memories and conversations that family members may want to preserve. Online banking and investment accounts, on the other hand, may contain important financial information that needs to be managed.
If digital assets are not properly managed after death, they may be lost forever or fall into the wrong hands. For example, social media accounts could be hacked or deleted, while online banking accounts could be vulnerable to fraud.
Steps for Managing Digital Assets After Death
To ensure that your digital assets are properly managed after you pass away, it’s important to take the following steps:
- Make an inventory of your digital assets: Start by making a list of all of your digital assets, including social media accounts, online banking and investment accounts, email accounts, and any other accounts that may be important to your loved ones.
- Choose a digital executor: Choose someone you trust to be your digital executor. This person will be responsible for managing your digital assets after you pass away.
- Provide access information: Make sure your digital executor has all of the information they need to access your digital assets, including usernames, passwords, and security questions.
- Consider using a digital estate planning service: There are a number of digital estate planning services that can help you manage your digital assets after you pass away. These services can help you store your login information securely and provide access to your executor when needed.
- Review and update regularly: It’s important to review and update your list of digital assets and access information regularly to ensure that everything is up to date.
Managing digital assets after death can be a complex process, but it’s an important part of estate planning. By taking the time to inventory your digital assets, choose a digital executor, and provide access information, you can ensure that your digital legacy is properly managed after you pass away.
