Tips on making it easier for others to handle your affairs after death
D
eath touches every part of life, even the digital spaces where we share, connect and store memories. It’s a bittersweet reality that the online world doesn’t automatically know when a life ends. For those left behind this can bring unexpected pain. A notification of a loved one’s birthday, a friend suggestion from someone long gone, or a tagged photo on social media can stir grief afresh – or make it awkward to explain why a digital relationship lingers.
For many the inability to access or close a loved one’s accounts adds to the confusion. Passwords are unknown, platforms require documentation and the emotional weight of sorting through digital possessions can feel overwhelming. These online remnants are part of our modern reality, but they don’t have to be a source of difficulty.
Create a digital will.
Our digital accounts, from social media to email, often outlast us. Take these steps now to ensure your loved ones can handle your digital assets:
- Document passwords and logins: Use a secure password manager to compile your digital keys. Share access with a trusted individual or include instructions in your will.
- Appoint a digital executor: Some provinces in Canada allow you to appoint someone to manage your digital assets. This person can help close accounts or transfer ownership after your death.
Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good person leaves an inheritance to their children’s children.” This includes digital order, not chaos.
Plan for social media accounts.
Social media platforms have policies for memorializing or deleting accounts:
- Facebook allows you to designate a legacy contact to manage your profile or have it memorialized.
- Instagram and LinkedIn offer options for closing or memorializing accounts with proof of death.
- Google allows you to use the Inactive Account Manager to set up data-sharing permissions after inactivity.
Discuss these plans with your loved ones to ensure they understand.
Organize and back up photos.
Photos are often our most treasured digital possessions. Without a plan they may become inaccessible:
- Create shared albums: Share important photos with family members now so they can enjoy them and won’t lose access later.
- Use cloud storage: Ensure images are saved in a secure, easily accessible place. Regularly update your backup to reflect your most cherished memories.
When we curate and share our lives thoughtfully, we live out the wisdom of Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
Prepare for email and financial accounts.
By taking practical steps now, we can lighten the load for those we love.
Email accounts often hold key records for bills, subscriptions and personal notes. Financial accounts may also require attention:
- Enable access: Share account details with your executor or spouse. Many services allow authorized access with legal documentation, such as a death certificate.
- Unsubscribe now: Begin decluttering unnecessary accounts and subscriptions today. It simplifies things for loved ones later.
Leave a digital love letter.
Consider writing a final letter to those you love, stored digitally. It can include:
- your favourite scriptures or prayers
- encouragement and affirmations for family and friends
- guidance for practical matters from handling accounts to celebrating your life.
This act of love echoes Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4:7. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
By stewarding our digital lives now, we can lift burdens from those we leave behind, and turn what could be a time of confusion into one of clarity and grace. As followers of Christ this intentionality becomes an act of love – a way to be remembered, and pass on our legacy and values to those we love.
Joanna la Fleur is a podcaster, TV host and communications consultant in Toronto. Find more of these columns at FaithToday.ca/ThrivingInDigital. Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM