Living in the digital world pushes us to rely more heavily on technology than we did in the past. We use mobile devices and computers for all aspects of daily life, from storing pictures of our family and vacations to managing our daily finances. It’s hard to imagine life without technology.
Growing up, I loved looking through the boxes of photographs my mom kept. Even I have boxes full of precious photos of my children when they were young, our family vacations, and special holidays. Today, all the pictures I take are on my phone and stored in the cloud. I can look through the photos based on date, place, or facial recognition. I can easily share my pictures with anyone.
When was the last time you received a bill in the mail? Many monthly bills are sent electronically through email or are available by logging into your account.
Often, we spend so much time planning who will receive our assets when we pass away – the house, car, jewelry, money. What about our digital legacy?
What if something were to happen to you tomorrow? Who would have access to those treasured pictures? Who can access your email or log into the utility company to get the latest bill?
The key is to have a plan for your digital assets. You may want to leave a guide or letter explaining your wishes with instructions for gaining access to your important information.
Here’s a short list to get you started:
- Provide the access code to your phone, smart devices, and computer.
- List details of your monthly expenses and how to access the accounts. This information will be needed to determine whether an account or service should be closed or maintained or automatic payments should be stopped.
- Keep a list of digital subscriptions and paperless billing.
- Note key contacts’ names, phone numbers, email, and addresses. This should include your attorney, CPA, and financial advisor.
- What about the important files stored on your computer that should be kept or referenced? (For example, legal documents, such as will or trust, financial information, etc.)
Like most things, once you get started, the list will expand. Planning and preparing now will take time and effort on your part, but it can save your loved ones a great deal of time and frustration in the future.
