Digital Legacy: A Complete Guide to Passing on Access to Your Online Accounts

In today’s digital world, we store a significant portion of our lives online—everything from social media interactions to critical financial information. But what happens to these digital assets when we’re no longer around? Many people don’t think about their digital footprint in terms of inheritance, but it’s just as important as managing physical property or finances. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create a digital legacy plan, ensuring that your loved ones can access your accounts and online assets responsibly and according to your wishes.

What Is a Digital Legacy?

Your digital legacy encompasses all of your online accounts, files, and information stored digitally. This can include:

• Email accounts
• Social media profiles
• Banking and financial platforms
• Subscription services
• Online shopping accounts
• Digital photos, videos, and documents stored in the cloud

Essentially, any data or service tied to your digital presence becomes part of your digital legacy. If not properly managed, these accounts can remain dormant, potentially causing issues for your family and friends, such as security risks or unfulfilled financial obligations. Planning for your digital legacy is about making sure your accounts can be accessed by trusted individuals to carry out your final wishes, manage financial affairs, or simply preserve personal memories.

Why You Need to Plan for Your Digital Legacy

There are several reasons why it’s important to plan for your digital legacy:

• Avoiding Account Lockout: Without the proper documentation, your family members may face significant difficulties in accessing important accounts, especially if they’re protected by passwords or multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• Preventing Identity Theft: Dormant accounts are more vulnerable to hacking and identity theft. By properly managing your digital assets, you reduce the risk of malicious access.
• Managing Finances: Online banking and payment platforms will continue to operate unless they're closed or managed after your passing. This can lead to unresolved payments or lingering subscriptions, affecting your family financially.
• Protecting Personal Information: Your online life holds valuable personal memories like photos, videos, and conversations. Planning ahead ensures these are managed according to your wishes—whether you want them preserved, shared, or deleted.

Key Steps in Preparing Your Digital Legacy

1. Inventory Your Digital Accounts

The first step in preparing your digital legacy is to take inventory of all the accounts and digital assets you own. This includes everything from email addresses to streaming services and online banking accounts. While it may seem overwhelming, creating a comprehensive list is crucial for proper planning.

You can organize these accounts into categories for easier management and ensure that you include every account associated with your name.

2. Organize Your Login Credentials

Once you have a list of accounts, the next step is to organize your login information. Storing passwords securely is critical, so consider using one of the following methods:

Remember to store backup access information like recovery emails or answers to security questions alongside your main passwords.

3. Choose a Digital Executor

A digital executor is someone you assign to manage your digital legacy. This individual will be responsible for carrying out your wishes concerning your online accounts, whether that’s preserving, deleting, or transferring them. Choosing the right person is crucial, as they’ll need to be tech-savvy and trustworthy.

Your digital executor may be a separate person from your estate executor, especially if you feel someone else would be more suited to managing your online assets.

4. Document Your Digital Wishes

Once you’ve organized your accounts and chosen a digital executor, it’s time to document your wishes. You’ll need to specify what should happen to each of your accounts after you pass away. Some accounts may be deleted, while others may need to be transferred to a family member or archived for posterity.

For example:

• Facebook and Instagram allow you to assign a legacy contact who can manage your profile after death.
• Google offers an "Inactive Account Manager" that can send account data to trusted contacts after a certain period of inactivity.
• Apple’s Digital Legacy program provides a straightforward way to pass on your Apple ID and iCloud data.

Examples of Account Management Tools

5. Create a Digital Will

Including your digital assets in your will is an important step to ensure that your executor has the legal authority to manage your accounts. In many countries, including Canada, digital assets aren’t automatically covered by a traditional will. By specifically addressing these assets in your will, you ensure that your digital executor will have access to everything they need.

What Happens If You Don’t Plan for Your Digital Legacy?

If you don’t take the necessary steps to manage your digital legacy, your loved ones may face several issues, including:

• Account Lockouts: Without proper access information or legal authority, your family may be locked out of your accounts permanently.
• Unresolved Financial Affairs: Online banking accounts and subscriptions could continue operating, leading to financial complications or unfulfilled payments.
• Data Vulnerability: Unmanaged accounts may be vulnerable to hackers or identity thieves, putting your personal information and finances at risk.
• Lost Memories: Photos, messages, and other personal data stored online may be lost if no one has access to preserve them.

Legal Considerations in Canada

Canada has specific laws and guidelines for managing digital assets. These vary by province but generally provide a framework for passing on digital accounts and assets.

For instance:

• Alberta and British Columbia have enacted legislation that allows digital executors to manage digital assets, but only if they’re explicitly granted authority in a will.
• Ontario and other provinces are beginning to address digital legacy in estate planning law, making it important to consult with a lawyer familiar with local laws.

Common Law Approaches to Digital Assets

How to Keep Your Digital Legacy Plan Updated

Planning your digital legacy is not a one-time task. You’ll need to revisit and update your plan regularly as new accounts, passwords, or services come into your life.

Here are a few tips:

• Review Your Accounts Regularly: Update your account list annually or when significant changes occur.
• Update Your Password Manager: Make sure new passwords are added to your password manager or wherever you securely store access information.
• Inform Your Digital Executor: Periodically touch base with your digital executor to ensure they’re still comfortable handling your digital estate.

Conclusion

Planning your digital legacy may seem overwhelming, but by taking proactive steps, you can make sure your loved ones are able to manage your online accounts smoothly and according to your wishes. From organizing your passwords to appointing a digital executor, this process helps protect your digital life and gives peace of mind to your family. As digital technology continues to evolve, managing your digital assets will only become more important in estate planning.