Different platforms have different policies.
LEARN HOW YOUR PLANNED GIFT CAN HELP THE AMERICAN LEGION
I recently had an estate plan drafted, but I am not sure what to do about my online information such as email, banking and social media accounts. What can I do to ensure my family can access and protect this information after I am gone?
In addition to creating an estate plan, you should also consider making a “digital will” that lists all your online accounts and login information. This informal document serves as an inventory of your digital assets and provides instructions for accessing them after your passing. A digital will can help your loved ones access your electronic devices and online accounts so they can manage these affairs according to your wishes.
Many nonprofits and businesses offer a no-cost digital-assets inventory worksheet to help you get started. You may also find it helpful to use a password manager or similar tool that allows you to organize your online-account details alphabetically. Here are a few other tips:
Apple If you are an iPhone, iPad or Mac user, you should nominate a “legacy contact” who can access your account’s data after you die. This is a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up, you will need an Apple device with a recent operating system (OS) – for example, iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2, and MacBooks need macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to Settings, click on your name, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can select one person to be a legacy contact. The person you select does not need an Apple ID or device. To complete the process, you will be provided with an access key to share with your contact. It can be shared electronically, printed as a copy, or saved as a screenshot or PDF. Once you complete the process for one person, you can go through the steps again to name additional legacy contacts.
Take note that there are some types of files you will not be able to pass on, including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google This platform takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices you have stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait – anywhere from three to 18 months – before considering your account “inactive.” After the designated period of inactivity, Google will notify up to 10 people.
You can choose what types of data they can access, including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos. There is also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram If you have Facebook or Instagram, both of which are owned by parent company Meta, you can have your accounts either memorialized or deleted after you die if the companies get a valid request from a family member or friend. Go to facebook.com/help/1111566045566400 or help.instagram.com/264154560391256 for details.
Meta also strongly recommends that Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after memorial accounts. Information on this process can be found at facebook.com/help/1070665206293088. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they cannot read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who must also have a Facebook account.
Passwords If you use a password manager – a service that creates, saves and manages passwords – for all your online accounts, it may have an emergency access feature. Some services will allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts to access your keys in case of an emergency or death.
“Savvy Living” is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to NBC’s “Today Show.” The column, and others like it, is available to read via The American Legion’s Fund Development program, a way of establishing your legacy of support for the organization while providing for your current financial needs. Consider naming The American Legion in your will or trust as a part of your personal legacy. Learn more about the process, and the variety of charitable programs you can benefit, at legion.org/plannedgiving. Clicking on “Learn more” will bring up an “E-newsletter” button, where you can sign up for regular information.
- Planned Giving