Handling a Loved One’s Digital Footprint After They Die

What do do with a loved one's digital footprint after they pass

Most adults have not made a will, let alone created an estate plan addressing their online profiles and accounts (aka their digital footprint). As your online presence grows professionally and personally, taking charge of your digital assets and plans for them after you die becomes important. Some social media companies like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter provide users with options to nominate someone to look after their social media pages upon their death. Still, many digital assets of individuals without an estate plan will remain active until loved ones close the accounts.

What is a Digital Footprint?

A digital footprint is the record or trail of data from a person’s online activity. This online activity can include any information shared, created, or collected online. The following are some examples:

Email Addresses – Including work and personal email addresses
Social Media – Posts, likes, comments, shares, and messages on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, and others
Communication Apps – WhatsApp, Skype, Slack, WeChat, and more
Websites and Blogs – Business or personal websites and licensed domain names
Financial Services – Banking, retirement accounts, trading, cryptocurrency, PayPal, Venmo, etc
Online Shopping – Amazon, Etsy, eBay, Craigslist
Online Searches – Data generated via online searches, including search terms used, websites visited, and time spent on each site
Online Profiles – Listservs and dating profiles as examples
Health and Medical Accounts – Online medical and health insurance records
Entertainment – Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Cable TV, Sling and more
Music, Photos, Books – iTunes, Spotify, Shutterfly, Kindle
Travel – Airline and car rental apps, Expedia, Airbnb, Uber
Geolocation – Location data generated by mobile devices, such as GPS data, WiFi signals, and cell tower data

Absent an Estate Plan, Where Do You Start?

Handling a loved one’s digital footprint after they die can be a difficult and emotional task. Specific steps are needed to assess the accounts.

The first step is to find out what online accounts your loved one had and gather any usernames, passwords, and other information to access them. You may need to check their computer files, emails, or other documents to locate this information.

Once you have a scope of all online activity, contact the service providers for any online accounts your loved one had and notify them of their death. They may require a death certificate or other documentation to close or transfer the accounts.

Deciding What to Do With The Accounts Making Up The Digital Footprint

Depending on the terms of service for the online accounts, you may be able to close or delete them, or you may be able to transfer them to a family member or beneficiary. Some accounts may also have options for memorializing the account, allowing others to view the content without making changes.

If your loved one had digital assets such as photos, videos, or documents, you might want to back up the content and store them securely. This action can help prevent them from being lost or deleted, allowing family members to access and preserve them.

Estate Planning Attorneys Specializing in Digital Assets Can Help

The process of securing or closing the digital footprint of a loved one can be overwhelming. Estate planning attorneys can provide legal guidance on issues relating to digital assets, such as privacy laws, intellectual property laws, and cybersecurity laws. They can also help you navigate any disputes relating to these digital assets.

An estate planning lawyer can help by:

Identifying and inventorying digital assets – An attorney can help inventory your loved one’s digital assets.
Determining ownership and access – A lawyer can help determine ownership of the digital assets and whether access is allowed under applicable laws and terms of service agreements. They can also guide you on accessing digital assets that are password protected or encrypted.
Creating a plan for the digital assets – Your attorney may designate beneficiaries or create a trust for digital assets. They can also help identify which digital assets can be deleted or closed and which may be valuable and should be preserved.
Working with service providers – A lawyer can work with service providers to transfer ownership or close accounts. They can assist with obtaining copies of digital content, like photos or videos that may be valuable or sentimental.

An estate planning attorney can also help prepare families with a digital estate plan that will spare their loved ones the challenge of identifying, memorializing, or closing many online accounts. Additionally, having a digital estate plan can prevent post-mortem identity theft.

Providing instructions to Loved Ones Regarding Digital Footprint

Making decisions about a loved one’s digital assets and accounts can be very difficult if they have not left instructions to follow. For some people, it’s useful to have reminders of their departed loved one. Others may prefer to close all accounts for various reasons. For those who lack online literacy, closing digital accounts can be beyond their capabilities.

Seeking the services of an estate planning attorney specializing in digital assets can reduce the complexities of identifying and preserving a deceased loved one’s online accounts and the likelihood of overlooking valuable assets in the online world. Contact Andre O. McDonald, a knowledgeable Howard County, Montgomery County and District of Columbia estate planning, special-needs planning and Medicaid planning attorney, at (443) 741-1088; (301) 941-7809 or (202) 640-2133 to help you sort through you or your loved one’s digital assets.

DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION POSTED ON THIS BLOG IS INTENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO CONVEY LEGAL, INSURANCE OR TAX ADVICE.