New for Estate Planning 2012 – Social Media Bequests.

You’ve spent the time and developed a presence in Linked-In, Twitter, Google+, and Facebook.  You have profiles on your company website, your personal website and affiliated organizations.  You have email addresses and blogs.  So what happens to all of that when you die?

You can create a written statement appointing someone as an “online executor” to handle your online identity.  You may want to have the content removed, or your identity made part of memorial.    You will certainly want to make sure that your identity isn’t hijacked.

At a minimum, you should consider the following:

Create a document path that lists all of the websites where you have a profile, together with your usernames and paswords.  You should do the same for any website that you own, and for your email addresses.   Keep it current.

Ask a trustworthy individual if he or she will agree to serve as your social media executor.  Let him or her know where the list is kept (We don’t advocate handing the list over immediately – it will quickly become dated)

Execute a Social Media Will – basically a document that instructs your executor how to handle the various sites.  Your choices include 1) canceling, 2) changing the site to a memorial, 3) keeping the site as is but changing posting options.  You should also give instructions that your executor can have a copy of your death certificate to use as proof if the website requires additional information.

It’s also a good idea to have this authorization given to your agent in a durable power of attorney, which is effective prior to your death.  If you become incapacitated, then you may not have the mental ability to make changes or control your online image.

Call Hammerle Finley Law Firm if you need help.  We represent clients in elder law and estate planning issues.  www.hammmerle.com.

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