Setting up a secure digital inheritance has become increasingly important in the digital age. Everything from our personal files on our devices to our social media accounts, banking information, and even digital assets like cryptocurrencies are a part of our digital lives. But what happens to these digital possessions when we’re no longer around? To ensure these assets aren’t lost or misused, it’s essential to set up a secure digital inheritance. This article guides you through this process in detail to help you secure your digital afterlife.

#Creating a Digital Asset Inventory:

Firstly, you need to catalog all your digital assets. Digital assets include anything you own or have rights over in the digital realm. Here are some types of digital assets you may have:

– Hardware devices like smartphones, computers, hard drives, flash drives, and their contents.
– Email accounts and the messages they contain.
– Social media accounts such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
– Online banking, PayPal, Stripe, and other financial accounts.
– Loyalty and rewards programs accounts.
– Digital recipes like photographs, music, videos, eBooks, digital art, etc.
– Online storefronts on platforms like Etsy, Amazon, or eBay.
– Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.
– Intellectual property rights, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, etc.

Go through your digital assets one by one, and create a comprehensive inventory. A spreadsheet might be helpful to keep everything organized.

#Securely Document the Access Information:

For every digital asset, you need to record how to access it. This information could include usernames, passwords, security questions, pin codes, two-step verification information, etc. Special care must be taken to ensure this sensitive information stays secure. Consider using a secure password manager that allows you to share access with emergency contacts.

#Choose a Digital Executor:

Once all access information is securely recorded, it would be best if you decided who you trust enough to handle your digital assets after you’re gone. This person is your digital executor. This might be the same person as your traditional estate executor, or it could be somebody else who you trust and who is tech-savvy enough to handle it.

#Legally Document Your Wishes:

Just like with any other type of will, your digital inheritance needs to be legally documented. It’s essential to make sure your wishes are enforceable and clear so your executor knows exactly what to do.

You must specify what you want to happen to each of your digital assets. Some assets, like emails or personal photographs, might be deleted. Others, like social media accounts, may be memorialized. Online storefronts or blogs might be handed over to someone who can continue running them. Virtual currencies might be liquidated or transferred depending on the platform and country laws.

#Secure Your Digital Estate Plan:

Your digital estate plan needs to be stored somewhere secure and accessible to your digital executor. A secure cloud storage service could be an excellent place to store your digital estate plan.

#Regularly Update Your Digital Inheritance Plan:

Just like a regular will, your digital inheritance plan should be reviewed and updated regularly. Every time you acquire or dispose of a digital asset, remember to update your digital inheritance plan to reflect this.

#Bonus: Use Secure Digital Inheritance Services:

There are several secure digital inheritance services available nowadays, which automate most of the process described above. These services can hold onto your digital asset access information and automatically send it to your designated contacts after your death. Some of these services include Google Inactive Account Manager, Facebook Legacy Contact, and secure password managers like LastPass.

Setting up a secure digital inheritance isn’t a quick process, nor should it be. It requires a lot of thought and careful planning to ensure that your digital life will be responsibly managed and your digital assets will be secured even after you’re gone. That being said, with the right knowledge and tools, setting up a secure digital inheritance is a straightforward process that anyone can go through. Knowledge about digital inheritance is still relatively new, but it’s slowly becoming a critical aspect of estate planning. So, take the time to secure your digital afterlife now, and give yourself peace of mind knowing that whatever happens, your digital assets are safe. Your digital memories, intellectual properties, and digital currencies are rightfully yours, and they deserve the same safety and security as your physical assets. Remember, your digital life is a part of you, and it’s only right that it gets the care and attention it deserves.