OK, so I know you don’t really want to
talk about this – but here goes: we’re all going to die someday. Maybe you’ve
already started thinking ahead: planning for your funeral, the care of loved
ones and disposal of your property. But what about your online life? All the
digital files, photos, posts and other accounts you leave behind might cause a
lot of inconvenience – even fraud or identity theft – for your loved ones to
clean up. Here are a few tips to figure out a plan for your online life after
death.
·
Count
your accounts. Make an
inventory of your digital life, including accounts for email, social media,
blogging, gaming, and cloud storage. Set up a spreadsheet or other file to keep
track of each site’s name, URL, your user name, password, your wishes for each,
and other information that might be necessary for access. Some of your accounts
may involve money – either real-world or online currencies – and may require
additional attention. Don’t attach your inventory to your will which becomes a
public document after your death.
·
Get
in the know – now. Many accounts
will let you make arrangements now or name someone to manage the account after
your death. Research your options.
·
Who
can help? You might
want to name a digital executor to handle all these tasks after your death,
preferably someone who has experience with online accounts and will understand
how to carry out your instructions – or make decisions about issues that you
might not have foreseen. You can select a friend or family member to be your
digital executor or you can hire a third-party service to help you.
Search “online
life after death” or “digital” and “afterlife” or “legacy” or “executor”
to learn more.
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