Just about everyone is online at this point, and conducting business and socializing over the Internet has become a routine matter of course. Given this reality it is important to recognize the fact that you are going to have to make your estate administrator aware of your online accounts and leave instructions with regard to how you would like them to be handled.
There are of course financial accounts that would be part of this equation. Many people pay their bills online and paperless billing has become very common. Your creditors are going to have to be satisfied so your executor or administrator is going to need this information.
Of course there are bank accounts and brokerage accounts that many people manage online as well and this is another factor to consider.
In addition to the above social networks are a huge part of our lives. In fact, one in four Internet page views in the United States takes place on Facebook at the present time. If you were to pass away, what would become of your Facebook account?
One option for you would be to have your representative ask Facebook to memorialize your account. When this is done your personal information is deleted, your status updates no longer appear, you are no longer recommended as a friend, and you do not appear in searches conducted by people who are not Facebook friends at the time of your passing. However, existing friends and family members can post on your wall.
It is easy to overlook some of the details when you are planning your estate as a layperson. This is one of the reasons why professional advice is so valuable. If you would like to devise a plan with the assistance of an Internet savvy expert, take action right now to arrange for a consultation with a licensed and experienced Hartford estate planning lawyer.
Mr. Nirenstein is licensed to practice before the courts of the State of Connecticut and the United States District Court. He is a member of the Connecticut and Hartford County Bar Associations, and the Estate and Probate, Elder Law, Business Law and Real Estate Sections of the Connecticut Bar Association.
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