The Information Age brought us technology that lets us share information with others with just a click of a mouse or a tap of a screen. We can communicate now in ways that our ancestors would never have imagined – FaceTime, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, email, text messaging, just to name a few.
But all this technology brings new concerns. From an estate planning point of view, questions such as how to designate someone to have access to emails, social media and your online financial accounts after death are now issues to be considered when preparing one’s estate plan.
No estate plan is complete without a consideration of your digital assets. Making a plan to ensure the orderly transition of your estate can alleviate frustration and the burden on a loved one who may need to gain access to your online accounts after your death. It is imperative that individuals consider providing specific and broad powers to their Executors in their Wills so that a trusted Executor can gain access to important digital information without having to seek court authority to do so.
Now may be a good time to review your current estate plan, or create an estate plan if you do not have one, to ensure that a trusted loved one has full access to your digital assets. Give us a call if you’d like us to review your estate plan.
