Funeral Preplanning & Digital Assets

Funeral preplanning is not a new concept. Neither is estate planning. But, what is new are some of the things you need to consider when planning for the time after you are gone. For example, did you know that your online activity can be classified as property?  It may sound strange, but anything you have done or will do online are considered digital assets. Things have definitely changed, haven’t they?

As you can imagine, most people who consult an attorney as part of their estate planning have probably not thought about their digital assets as part of their estate plan.  But, this is a new day and age.  And, since many of us have email accounts, social media accounts, access to online banking–among other digital assets–we need to consider who will have access to them when we are no longer around.

One of the first things you can do now to protect your digital assets is to organize your information. Take inventory all of your hardware (dvd’s, flash drives, etc.); software; list all of your folders of where information and documents are housed; your current social media accounts and email accounts. Also include online accounts that involve transactions, such as online banking and shopping accounts.

Second, provide access to someone who trust upon your passing. When working with an attorney, make sure you designate a trustee or someone who can oversee all of your digital assets. As part of this process, you will want to make sure that all of your accounts and passwords are accounted for.

Finally, map out instructions on what to do with your digital footprint and detail how you want it managed. Did you have a blog post you wanted to have posthumously? Or do you need to cancel recurring payments on your online accounts? An estate planning lawyer can help you with these instructions.

In addition to estate planning and taking care of your digital assets, funeral preplanning also makes good sense. This is especially true if you have certain wishes that you want to make sure are carried out. Funeral preplanning also takes away the need for your loved ones to make difficult choices on your behalf.

For more information about funeral preplanning, contact us at Mountain View Funeral Home. We can help you with the decisions that are important to you.