Almost everyone has a substantial online presence today. This means that we will leave behind some type of Internet legacy as well. Whether you embrace social media sites and use them avidly or simply accept their usefulness, you should definitely consider addressing them in your estate planning documents. Continue reading to discover some of the many reasons why.
Leave the Keys to Valuable Digital Property in Trusted Hands
You likely bank, shop and conduct other financial business online. You may have stored photographs, writings and important family documents in digital form. At a minimum, it is vital to consider appointing a trusted agent and recording passwords so that person can access, preserve and manage your digital assets.
You may also interact frequently with family, friends and associates via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or even your own blog or personal website. Consider what might happen when your online voice is silenced by death or incapacity:
- How do you want these accounts and media handled? For example, do you want friends and associates to be notified of your passing or last illness in the way you commonly communicate with them? Do you want your Facebook page converted to a “memorial” format so that mourners may post condolences and memories?
- Whom do you trust most to carry out your wishes regarding social media? Will this person have the technical knowledge and insight into your life required to get it right?
- Will discussing these matters with a knowledgeable, experienced estate planning attorney add to your peace of mind? At Kosa Law Office, we respect each client’s individual needs. We know applicable federal, Wisconsin and Minnesota laws. We present estate planning options and personalized recommendations in clear, everyday language.
Estate Planning Documents Must Reflect All That Matters to You
Regardless of evolving technologies and laws, many reasons remain to put a professionally prepared will, trust if appropriate, and powers of attorney in place. Your top priorities may include avoiding probate, preserving wealth and minimizing the administrative burden your survivors will face.
Other aspects of estate planning have become far more complex in this overwhelmingly digital age. “Do-it-yourself” planning is riskier than ever. The good news is that you do not have to handle all of this on your own.
Attorney Stephen Kosa will ask questions about how you manage digital property and the importance of your social media presence and legacy in your life. His approach is practical and thorough, enabling you to exert control over, for example:
- The naming of an agent with authority to access, copy, manage and delete digital property according to your wishes; and
- Ensuring that language in the appropriate document(s) provides the level of social media control you wish your agent to have.
Guidance That Addresses Social Media and the Digital World
Obviously, you cannot control what shows up on the Internet. But you can influence what appears on your own social media profiles—and what does not—once you can no longer participate. At Kosa Law Office, we’ll welcome all your questions and the opportunity to help you do exactly that.