Technology Information for Survivors

Estate planners recognize the importance of a client maintaining a comprehensive inventory of assets such as bank accounts, insurance policies, stock holdings, etc. so that the client’s survivors will be able to locate these assets.

As discussed in Susan B. Shor, Digital Property and the Law of Inheritance, Tech News World, Feb. 22, 2005, it is also important for a client to keep a comprehensive inventory of technology information.  Ms. Shor writes:

If a password list is part of your estate planning, a number of issues will be alleviated. Create an inventory of URLs, Web content, e-mail passwords and any other property an heir [or beneficiary] will need access to.

Provided this list is kept in a secure location, such as a safe deposit box, this appears to be an excellent idea.  The list would also need to be updated on a regular basis because computer users frequently change passwords and user names as well as add or subtract from the types of things kept or accessed electronically.

Special thanks to Davis Nelson of the Legal Philosophy Blog for telling me about Shor’s article.