As we stress pretty often, Estate Planning is a part of adulting that everyone should take some time to address. While we are most familiar with the ins and outs of what this basic process looks like — deciding who and what and when should happen to your assets but have you ever thought about the importance of how your digital life lives on?
In 2019, many of our life’s moments are not preserved physically as our parents and grandparents were. With social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, and various photo archives –you may want to designate someone to be responsible for them or at the very least have access to them, in the same way, you would your other important documents.
Below are some thoughts about how to get started on getting your digital estate in order and specific information about how your Facebook account should be set up and handled.
Take Digital Inventory
Your first step is to decide which digital assets you want your heirs to be able to access, including your social media accounts and email. Make out a list of your accounts, and if you decide to include your usernames and passwords, then be sure to store them in a secure location and make sure that the information is always current if it changed. An estate-planning attorney can help you update your will to reflect your intentions for your digital estate.
Designate a Facebook Legacy Contact
Facebook now gives you an opportunity to choose a legacy contact, someone that can manage your social media account if you should pass away. The legacy contact can write a pinned post for your profile as a farewell message or as a way to let your friends know the details of a memorial service. A legacy contact is someone you choose to look after your account if it’s memorialized.
Like your physical affairs, a little preparation ahead of time can make managing your digital assets a lot easier for your heirs.
