Do You Need a “Digital Will?”

You’ve set up a living will, established an estate plan, divvied up the family heirlooms, and even made provision for your dog—but have you created a Digital Will?
Chances are, you haven’t even thought about what happens to all your digital assets—your online photos, social media sites, email accounts, etc.—after you’ve died. However, it’s something you probably should consider.

What is a Digital Will?
A Digital Will is a document of instructions to another person (the Digital Will Executor) on how to allocate and/or dispose of your digital assets. This includes granting the Digital Will Executor access to your digital assets and setting parameters for controlling who can and cannot access them.

Do I Really Need a Digital Will?
You might—or at least you may be glad you had one (and so will your loved ones). Think about your online presence accumulated over the years—all the digital assets you have, like your online photo albums, music, documents, email accounts, social media accounts, online banking, etc.—and that, unlike your home and other physical property, which can be distributed “the old-fashioned way,” login credentials, tech company privacy policies, and the law can often slow-down or even prevent easy access and reallocation.

Ask yourself if it’s “okay” for tech companies to just delete your digital assets for all time after several years (and often just months) of non-use. Alternatively, ask yourself if you want your online presence to remain online, and even public, forever? Or would you prefer that decisions about these assets be controlled by someone you trust?

A Digital Will can help resolve these issues in a way you are comfortable with and facilitate a smooth transition.

What Should I Include in My Digital Will?
Unlike standard wills, you probably don’t need a formal Digital Will drafted by an attorney (although people with more extensive digital presences may want to consider consulting an experienced lawyer).

Below are the essential components and steps of creating a Digital Will:

  1. Create an Inventory of Digital Assets
    Write a list of every online account you have, from email accounts to social media sites, to photo-sharing sites. Think broadly and go back to areas you haven’t used in a while, like, for example, that online blog you created that summer. And don’t forget about sites that have your credit card or bank account information—especially those that utilize the auto-pay feature!
  2. Select and Identify Your Digital Will Executor
    It goes without saying, but you should pick someone you trust and who will be discreet—and someone that others are likely to trust after you’re gone, too. Choosing an alternative executor is also a good idea. Be sure to name the person in the Digital Will and provide contact information.
  3. Develop Detailed Instructions
    This is where you need to think hard about who-gets-to-see-what. Maybe you’ve decided that your YouTube videos from decades ago should never see the light of day. Perhaps you only want your photo albums from your Facebook page to be not only accessible—but possibly viewable only to friends. Set your boundaries and write them as precisely as possible.
  4. Safely Collect Your Login Credentials and Passwords
    Gather all your login credentials and passwords so your Digital Will Executor can access and control them. Consider a password locker to better secure them in one place.
  5. Securely Store Your Digital Will
    Once completed, choose a safe place to keep your Digital Will. It could be saved with your will and other essential documents. You can keep it in a safe deposit box at a bank.

Creating a Digital Will may not be fun, but it does give you more control over your data and helps your loved ones know your wishes—making it well worth the energy it requires.

Share:

More Articles