Technology has been forming a large part of our everyday lives over the last several years; however, it is safe to say that technology has become even more prominent since the pandemic has entered our lives.  Pre-pandemic, I relied on many digital programs, platforms, and storage options....enter COVID-19, and I can admit that I have turned to tech as a way to ultimately bring everything I need online in some way, shape, or form.

What will this mean for estate administration moving forward? Digital assets are perhaps not a new thing, but they are relatively new in the world of estates.  Up until recently, when someone passed away, there was very little (if any) to wrap up digitally for the deceased.  Executors of today are heading into unchartered territories.

Always the learner, and looking for any excuse to read….I managed to get my hands on Sharon Hartung's book- Your Digital Undertaker (www.yourdigitalundertaker.ca), which explores death in Canada's digital age.  What appealed to me about her book was the information she has collected about what an Executor must deal with when there is a digital component to the estate (trust me, there's a lot we need to know!).  At first, I thought "digital" meant cryptocurrencies and that I would hardly ever encounter this….but my eyes almost popped out of my head when I realized it means EV-ERY-THING! Let's think about that for a second…. apple id, photos, domains, online books, social media, loyalty and points programs, Uber eats, all those stores you signed up with for 10 percent off! If I were my Executor, where would I even start?

After reading Your Digital Undertaker, I think everyone should contemplate as first steps the following two quotes from Sharon:  

"An Executor needs to know what you have, as these likely won't turn up in a physical search of your house.-Page 139" Keeping all the accounts, assets, and photos that we own in a digital form logged away in our own minds will not help anyone in the long run.  One of the first duties an Executor embarks on is creating an inventory listing of the estate.  On the best of days, the Executor feels like a private investigator, leaving no stone ….or toilet tank un-turned in their search for assets of the deceased.  How does an Executor also do this for the digital world?  As of right now, there is no unique Google search features that would say.…" looking for assets of a deceased's? Look no further…. we have an inventory list here for you!" We can all help our family members.  Write. What. You. Have. Down! Maybe you might miss some items, you may have forgotten about your MSN messenger account from 2002, but I would care to wager that you will catch most of it.  I own several domains….Would my friends know that? Would my Executor? Thank goodness I have this blog, because now they know! Help your Executor and create that inventory list now, while you still can. While technology is pretty cool and advanced, it still can't ring up the line to our loved ones so that we can ask them questions about digital assets they might have owned before they passed away.

"Technically speaking, without a password, all of the cyber security and privacy preventative measures put in place to protect yourself from identify theft, hacking, and cyber theft of your accounts, will act as barriers imposed on the Executor. -Page129" Ok, first of all, it is not wise to write down all of your passwords and then tape them to the fridge!  Provider's terms of service govern digital assets and the passwords created for the accounts; you certainly do not want to void any protection of your assets by releasing a password to someone.  As Sharon very eloquently put it, "Giving someone a list of passwords without guidance is as dangerous as leaving your car keys in the ignition or dropping your wallet on the street.-Page 151" Make sure that you are careful when you are considering your plans of sharing information with your Executor.  There are ways to ensure that you keep your passwords stored safely and possibly available for the Executor.  Oddly enough, there are some digital options such as 1password, which store your accounts and passwords securely online, leaving only yourself and a designated person with access to them.  You could also write down your passwords and store them somewhere, such as in a safe or a vault…if you are fancier.  Keep in mind that if they are being written down and held somewhere physically, you run the risk of the list not being updated regularly, passwords expiring….or, you forget to tell your Executor where they should look to find this information. 

I suppose it seems pretty easy when we boil it down.  What do you have digitally? And how can your Executor access it? Of course, the more complicated the digital asset type, the more intricate the planning gets, and it is always wise to involve professionals when required.  The topic of digital assets proves to me how much more critical estate design is becoming, how imperative it is that we have a Will, and how crucial having these discussions really are.