How to Set Up Legacy Contacts
When creating estate plans digital assets- such as Gmail accounts and Facebook- are often overlooked. For many, however, controlling what happens to these assets is a critical component of organizing their affairs. Here are the processes for making sure the right people can access your accounts upon your passing. If you missed our previous blog on other examples of digital assets and why they are important to include in your estate plan, you can read it here. How to Set Up Google If you utilize Google products such as Gmail or Google Drive, you will need to visit the Inactive Account Manager. The first step you will take is selecting an interval of inactivity. The interval of inactivity means how long it has been since you were last active on your Google account and once that time frame has been matched, Google will automatically delete your data. You can set your interval of inactivity for as short as three months to as long as 18 months. The interval of inactivity period means that you have been signed out of Google on your computer, laptop or other devices for the specified time period. Instead of setting up Google to automatically
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Planning for Your Digital Legacy
An estate plan often focuses on tangible property such as jewelry, artwork, money, and vehicles. However, in this age of technology, it is important to remember to include your digital assets. Digital assets consist of everything we own online. Because we spend more time on computers and smartphones than we ever did before, you may not realize how much digital stuff you own, from photos and videos to online accounts, cryptocurrency, and nonfungible tokens (NFTs). Why Is It Important to Plan for Digital Assets? Planning for digital assets is important for several reasons. First, without a plan, digital assets may get lost in the Internet ether and not pass to your loved ones after your death due to the simple fact that their existence is unknown. Second, planning now means your family will not have to worry about hunting for these items upon your death while also grieving a beloved family member. Third, like most adults (roughly 70 percent of them), you want certain aspects of your digital life to remain private. If you do not create a plan, your loved ones may learn things that you wish to keep secret. Finally, planning now can minimize the risk of
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