Increasingly we live our lives online. We communicate through email, create communities in social media, pay our bills online and hold memberships with online services. Do your really know your full digital picture? What happens to it all when you die?
Digital Account Checklist
Use the checklist below to track all your digital accounts. As you list your accounts, consider using an online password manager to store your many passwords. These services not only securely store your passwords; they will turn over your password to assigned individuals at an appropriate time. It’s vitally important that someone you trust can easily access these accounts, ensuring the transfer of important information—including your privacy and identity—is preserved.
- Email accounts (primary, business, “junk email”)
- Messaging/Voice-over-IP
- Social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
- Cloud storage, such as DropBox, iCloud, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive
- Entertainment, such as video, music and gaming sites
- Food/delivery services
- Web hosting/blogging sites
- Money management and productivity tools
- Health/medical subscriptions
- Home security system
- Online subscriptions to newspapers, magazine and newsletters
This list is not exhaustive. You may also ask yourself, “Where do I have important documents stored online?” or “What online accounts auto-renew from my bank account?”
What to do with it all?
This listing of all your digital accounts and passwords is extremely sensitive, and should be treated with confidentiality and safety. Consider using Plan My Affairs Personal Affairs section to list all your digital accounts without passwords. In this section, you can provide instructions for the location of your passwords, such as an online password manager or a secure location. You may also consider creating a digital will, which spells out how people may approach handling their online identities after their death.
