It\u2019s
\nnot pleasant to think about death or a medical emergency, but one of the
\ngreatest gifts you can give your loved ones is being prepared for those
\nsituations. <\/p>\n
You might be familiar with traditional estate planning, but there\u2019s
\nalso what\u2019s called digital estate planning. Consumer Reports has five things to do
\nright now to make things easier in a crisis.<\/p>\n
Having
\na will and power of attorney will help your loved ones follow your wishes, but
\nthere\u2019s more to do. <\/p>\n
Think about your online accounts and which bills you pay
\nwith a swipe. Are there important documents in your cloud storage? And what
\nabout all those photos on your phone? Create a digital estate plan. <\/p>\n
First,
\nset up an \u2018in case of emergency\u2019 document. Jot down the names, phone numbers,
\nand emails of important people in your life. List the location of important
\ndocuments, like birth certificates, passports, and social security cards. <\/p>\n
This
\ndocument should also have your bank accounts, investments, and recurring bills,
\nincluding when they\u2019re due and how you pay them, including autopay.<\/p>\n
Two,
\nshare your passwords. To pay your bills and manage other affairs someone needs
\nyour log-in info. If you don\u2019t want to spell out your passwords, give hints or
\nkeep it simple with a password manager. <\/p>\n
Consumer Reports recommends using
\n1Password. The $60 a year family plan covers up to five people who get access
\nto shared folders.<\/p>\n
The
\nthird thing to do is designate a legacy contact for your online accounts. A few
\ntech companies let you grant control to someone else. For example, Google\u2019s
\nInactive Account Manager, Facebook Legacy Contact and Apple\u2019s Legacy Contact,
\nto name a few.<\/p>\n
Next,
\nadd your digital assets to your traditional will so that everything is together
\nin one place and easy for your family or close friends to find.<\/p>\n
Finally, have an emergency planning
\nmeeting. <\/p>\n
Tell your loved ones your wishes and where they can find this
\ninformation. Providing easy access to online accounts can make a painful time
\nless stressful. And having things in order will give you peace of mind.<\/p>\n