What to Do Before You Die: A Tech Checklist

When we think about what will happen to our “things” when we die, we often do not consider our Facebook, twitter, google, or snapchat accounts. Technology is often the last thing on our minds.

It may be time to consider putting together a tech checklist so that your loved ones can have access to digital files like photos, videos, and other memories. Given the continuous growth in technology, it is more important than ever before to make a plan for your digital assets. This has often been referred to as a “digital legacy.” 

Below is a checklist to help you put together your digital legacy plan:

1. Take inventory of your digital assets 
2. Add a digital executor to your will [Editor’s note: It is problematic whether a court will allow bifurcation of an executor’s duties.]
   
3. Add digital heirs to your accounts
4. Plan to pass on your passwords
5. Record your stories

This will be a great start for putting together a solid plan for your digital assets. 

See Joanna Stern, What to Do Before You Die: A Tech Checklist, Wall Street Journal, December 18, 2020. 

Special thanks to Lewis Saret (Attorney, Washington, D.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.