• March 28, 2024
 Should updating settings on online accounts form part of lifetime planning?

Should updating settings on online accounts form part of lifetime planning?

With so much of our daily lives taking place online these days how many of us have thought about what would happen to our accounts on death?

Perhaps our main bank accounts, investments, pensions information etc. might be a little more straightforward, we are likely to have paperwork relating to those accounts and perhaps have engaged a professional adviser who will have knowledge of our affairs. Major assets and sources of income will also undoubtedly have been taken into account as part of the estate planning process.

However, what might happen to our social media and email accounts when we die, for example, might be a little less obvious.

Did you know for example that you can update your settings in Facebook under ‘Legacy contacts’ and leave instructions as to what you want to happen to your account after death? (see screenshot below). The same facilities are available for your personal email account for example:

As Facebook (and its users) get older this sort of consideration may well become much more commonplace. As such it may well be worth mentioning to your clients as part of any discussion about wishes for sentimental items such as photographs or emails just so that there is no doubt about a client’s intentions on death.

One thing appears clear – updating settings now could save the families of deceased people a whole lot of stress and heartache by considering their setting during their lifetime.

General News