None of us like thinking about wills or that day but the new reality is that we have to look after our online presence just like any other asset.

All online companies have different policies for dealing with the accounts of deceased users. Suffice it to say none of these procedures are painless and they all require at a minimum a long laundry list of documentation and with all companies this is a lengthy and time consuming formal process.

You can expect that your executor will be required to provide at least.

  • a registered copy of the death certificate
  • government issued ID of the executor
  • some may require a copy of the will naming the executor
  • a link to a public obituary

Each service is different with respect to what access is allowed.

  • twitter does not provide access to an account but will allow an authorized user to disable or deactivate the account
  • facebook will allow you to either memorialize the profile or delete the user
  • Google does not guarantee that they will provide access to anyone but they do recommend trying with the above information
  • Microsoft will generally allow the release of information and access to the account
  • Paypal will generally allow an authorized user access to the account with information on how to disburse any funds in the account.
  • check in detail the policies of other sites and services

You Should

  • Include your plans or expectations for your online accounts in your will and treat these online accounts just like any other asset. Note that some of your online accounts may generate revenue or have an outstanding balance and instructions will need to be provided for the disposition of the funds.  Seek legal advise when including your online assets in your will, the validity of your requests varies wildly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
  • Be sure to create and maintain a list of your frequently accessed web sites and passwords, store these in a safe place and provide written instructions to someone you trust to manage your online presence on your behalf.

As with so much, the devil is in the details.  Each online account, website or service has different tools and access mechanisms for dealing with deceased member accounts.  Be sure to research each and provide detailed information to your trusted parties.