Have you ever stopped to think about how many of your possessions, photos, and memories are stored digitally?
Whether it’s on social media such as Facebook or Twitter, or via digital music and video services, such as Apple, Sony, Amazon or Google, large parts of our lives are stored and accessed online.
That’s before you even consider additional services such as email and online shopping accounts, bank accounts, gambling accounts, savings, etc.
It is easy and convenient: our phones and tablets are at the centre of our lives and they are filled with digital accounts which are, typically, protected by strong security measures.
It is worth considering what would happen to these accounts in the event of your death. DMA Law’s wills and life planning team is handling increasing numbers of requests from people concerned about what would happen to their online identities when they die.
The issues that can arise were highlighted perfectly by a recent case in which a grieving father was told by Apple that he needed a court order to access his son’s online accounts.
It made an incredibly tragic experience even more traumatic, and forced the family to embark on an entirely avoidable legal wrangle.
Of course, this was a shocking case involving a man who died at a very young age, but it underlines the importance of making sure that either you have permissions in place for third parties to access your accounts, or that you take care of the matter in your will.
At DMA Law our wills and life planning department can take all of your wishes into account, including making sure that your online accounts are included in your will. It could save a huge amount of heartache for your surviving relatives.
Making a will is more affordable than you might think, and, with the arrival of widespread digital accounts and possessions, is increasingly important for people of all ages to consider.
If you want to talk to us about making a will, you can contact our wills and life planning team, or drop into our free-of-charge legal walk-in centre, the DMA Law Link, for more advice, on Skinnergate in Darlington.
