As digital presence becomes more integral to our daily lives, planning for what happens to online accounts and data after death has emerged as a critical component of modern estate planning.
From social media profiles to financial and email accounts, each digital asset carries sensitive information and memories that need to be managed or preserved. While traditional estate planning involves physical documents and possessions, digital estate planning centers on securing online assets and ensuring they remain accessible to loved ones.
Below, we dive into the most effective strategies for managing your digital legacy and the tools available to ease this process for you and your family.
Key Takeaways
As digital presence becomes more integral to our daily lives, planning for what happens to online accounts and data after death has emerged as a critical component of modern estate planning.
- Designate legacy contacts on platforms like Facebook and Google to manage your online accounts posthumously.
- Memorialize social media profiles to preserve memories while maintaining the deceased’s privacy.
- Use robust digital security measures, such as strong passwords and 2-factor authentication, to prevent identity theft and protect digital assets.
1. Legacy contacts and access rights
When considering digital legacy planning, the first step is to determine who will have access to your online accounts and to what extent. Many online platforms now recognize the need for a trusted person to manage the digital lives of those who have passed away. Legacy contacts—trusted individuals who can manage specific aspects of accounts posthumously—are one solution that platforms such as Facebook and Google offer to make this process smoother.
Facebook allows users to select a legacy contact who can take over limited account management duties after death. Legacy contacts can approve friend requests, change or update profile photos, and create posts for people visiting the profile.
These options allow friends and family to engage with the deceased’s profile in a way that keeps their memory alive. However, it’s important to note that legacy contacts cannot view private messages, maintaining the deceased’s privacy even posthumously.
Google offers its own version of legacy access via its Inactive Account Manager. Users can specify an inactive period, typically three months, after which their chosen contact will be notified and given access. This setup provides a comprehensive yet controlled approach to managing personal data, including your personal email, Google Drive, and even YouTube.
The designated individual receives a notification with instructions for accessing these accounts, which can be crucial for preserving important files and data. Another option within the company’s service is account deletion, where users can choose to have their account permanently removed if it remains inactive for a specific period.
Not all platforms offer legacy contacts, and the rights granted to such contacts can vary. In cases where a digital asset falls under restrictive digital rights management (DRM) laws, transferring ownership of purchased digital files, such as music or e-books, might not be legally possible.
2. Memorializing social media and preserving memories
Beyond legacy contacts, memorializing accounts is another way to handle digital legacies. Memorialized social media accounts serve as a lasting tribute for friends and family to cherish, keeping memories alive while ensuring that the deceased’s privacy is maintained.
This process often requires family members or executors to provide documentation, such as a death certificate, to the social media provider, who then transforms the account into a memorial profile.
On Facebook, a memorialized account is a tribute page where loved ones can leave posts and share memories while the account’s privacy settings are automatically adjusted to protect the deceased’s information.
Memorialized accounts do not appear in friend suggestions, birthday reminders, or other Facebook notifications, which can be a considerate way to help friends avoid unexpected reminders of their loved one’s passing.
Instagram and other platforms, like LinkedIn, offer similar memorialization processes, although the specifics of these processes vary. For instance, LinkedIn provides an option to delete the profile entirely, which is preferable in a professional context where loved ones wish to close the chapter on the deceased’s career.
Other social media compaies also allows immediate family members to request account deactivation, helping to control how the deceased’s digital presence continues or ceases.
In addition to social media profiles, many people choose to preserve other forms of digital memories, including photo storage services, family blogs, and video-sharing platforms. While these platforms might not offer formal legacy contact options, password managers and digital vaults can facilitate the transition.
3. Preventing identity theft and security risks
For seniors especially, managing numerous online accounts can create security vulnerabilities that might outlast them if left unaddressed. Identity theft is a prevalent issue that extends to the deceased, as cybercriminals often target inactive accounts. To mitigate this risk, adopting robust digital security measures is crucial.
Using strong, unique passwords for each account is a primary step in safeguarding digital assets, making it harder for hackers to gain unauthorized access. Passwords that combine letters, numbers, and symbols while avoiding common phrases are more secure.
Regularly updating passwords and using 2-factor authentication further bolsters protection against unauthorized access. 2-factor authentication requires not just a password but also a code sent to a secondary device, reducing the likelihood of successful break-ins even if a password is compromised.
Scammers often use sophisticated tactics to target seniors, such as phishing emails that appear to come from legitimate institutions. These emails prompt recipients to share sensitive information or click on malicious links.
Additionally, consulting cybersecurity professionals can provide personalized recommendations tailored to one’s digital habits and estate needs.
4. Tools for managing your digital estate
Given the growing complexities of digital estate planning, various tools and resources can assist seniors in organizing and securing their online accounts. A well-rounded digital estate plan often includes a secure password manager, a method for regularly updating login information, and clear instructions for family members on how to access these assets.
Password managers with emergency access features, such as Keeper, Bitwarden, and NordPass, provide an effective way to store and share login credentials safely. These services allow users to designate trusted contacts who can access stored information if the user becomes inactive or incapacitated.
However, not all password managers are created equal; some require subscriptions, while others impose restrictions on the types of information they store. Comparing features, such as the ability to store a variety of data types and the inclusion of biometric security options, can help in selecting the right tool for your needs.
Apart from password management, online communities tailored to seniors can be valuable resources for digital estate planning. Groups such as AARP’s online forums and senior-focused technology groups provide a platform to ask questions, share experiences, and find answers to concerns about digital security and estate management.
In these communities, seniors can learn from others who have gone through similar situations, gaining insights on topics such as memorializing accounts, sharing login information, and securing online assets.
Estate planning professionals, too, can offer guidance on drafting digital wills, which are emerging legal documents that outline instructions for handling digital assets. Many law firms and estate planning advisors have adapted to include digital assets in their services, ensuring that individuals can incorporate their online presence into their broader estate plan.
Drafting a digital will that lists all digital assets, designates legacy contacts, and includes login instructions is an increasingly popular way to simplify the posthumous management of online accounts.
Safeguarding your digital legacy
In today’s interconnected world, safeguarding one’s digital legacy is essential to ensure a smooth transition for loved ones and to protect digital assets from cyber threats. Digital estate planning initially seem daunting, but it’s achievable with the right tools and strategies.
By designating legacy contacts, memorializing accounts, adopting strong digital security practices, and using trusted resources, individuals can prepare a comprehensive digital estate plan that brings peace of mind.
