Most of us don’t give much thought to what happens to our digital lives when we’re gone. But in a world where so much of daily life takes place online, the people we leave behind can find themselves wading through a tangle of accounts, profiles, and subscriptions at one of the hardest times they’ll ever face.
Taking a little time to understand your options now can make an enormous difference, both for yourself and for the people who will one day need to manage your affairs.
The Scale of the Digital Footprint
Take a moment to think about the digital accounts you hold. There’s likely an email account, possibly several. Social media profiles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Streaming services, online shopping accounts, cloud storage, banking apps, and loyalty programmes. Some people also hold digital assets with real monetary value, such as cryptocurrency, online businesses, or domain names.
When someone passes away, all of these accounts need attention. Some will need to be closed, others memorialised, and some may hold information or assets that form part of the estate.
Social Media Accounts
Each major social media platform has its own process for handling the profiles of people who have passed away.
Facebook allows a profile to be memorialised, turning it into a space where family and friends can continue to share memories. It can also be permanently removed if that’s what the family prefers. Account holders can designate a legacy contact in advance, someone who will have limited access to manage the profile after they’re gone.
Instagram offers similar options, allowing profiles to be memorialised at the request of an immediate family member or verified representative.
LinkedIn profiles can be removed by submitting a request through their online reporting process, along with confirmation of the passing.
It’s worth knowing that logging into a loved one’s account directly using their credentials may breach the platform’s terms of service and, in some cases, raise legal concerns. Following each platform’s formal bereavement process is always the recommended approach.
Email Accounts
Email accounts often hold important documents, communications, and records that families may need access to. Google accounts can be managed through an Inactive Account Manager, which lets the account holder designate a trusted person to access certain data after a period of inactivity. Microsoft Outlook accounts have a next-of-kin process through which family members can request access under specific conditions.
It’s always a good idea to let someone you trust know about your email accounts, or to leave clear instructions for how they should be handled in your will or pre-planning documents.
Financial Accounts and Subscriptions
Online banking, investment platforms, digital wallets, and subscription services all need to be dealt with after someone passes away. Most South African banks have formal deceased estate processes that require a death certificate and letters of executorship before anything can be done.
Ongoing subscription charges, from streaming services to gym apps to insurance deductions, will keep going until someone actively cancels them. Keeping a list of your active subscriptions, with login details stored in a life file or somewhere safe, can save your loved ones a great deal of time and frustration.
Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets
Cryptocurrency can be one of the trickier areas to navigate. Without access to the private keys or wallet information, those assets may be permanently out of reach. If you hold any digital assets of value, please make sure the relevant details are documented somewhere safe and that a trusted person knows how to find them.
Planning Ahead for Your Own Digital Legacy
One of the kindest things you can do for your family is to put together a simple digital legacy document. It doesn’t need to be complicated. A list of your accounts, how to access them, and what you’d like to happen to each one can spare your loved ones many hours of unnecessary hassle during an already painful time.
You may also want to include instructions in your will, or speak to your attorney about how your digital assets should be handled as part of your estate. At Sonja Smith Elite Funeral Group, we understand that planning for the end of life goes well beyond the funeral itself. Our team is here to support families through every part of planning ahead as well as finding their way after a loss. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need guidance.
If you found this article helpful in any way, you may want to consider reading What to Leave Behind for Your Children and Loved Ones or The Importance of Making Your Wishes Known: A Gift of Clarity for Those You Love.
