CHARLOTTE — Consumer Reports’ experts say preparing for medical emergencies or death is one of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones when the time comes.
While a traditional will and power of attorney are important, that’s not all you need. Think about your accounts, and the bills you pay online. Maybe you have important documents in your cloud storage and photos on your phone. Consumer Reports says you need a digital estate plan.
First, experts recommend making an “in case of emergency” document. Include the names, numbers and emails of important people in your life and list the location of important documents, like birth certificates, passports, and social security cards.
“This document should also have your bank accounts, investments and recurring bills,” Consumer Reports’ Brian Vines said. “Put down when they’re due and how you pay them. Be sure to mention if anything is autopay.”
Next, share your passwords with someone because to pay your bills and handle other affairs they will need your login information.
Consumer Reports says the third step is to designate a legacy contact for your online accounts.
“A few tech companies let you grant control to someone else,” Vines said. “There’s Google’s Inactive Account Manager, Facebook Legacy Contact, and Apple’s Legacy Contact to name a few.”
Next, add your digital assets to your traditional will that way everything is easy to find in one place.
Finally, have an emergency planning meeting. Tell your loved ones your wishes and where they can find this information. It can make a painful time much less stressful.
For your social media accounts, Consumer Reports says there’s a free social media will generator, which creates a document explaining what you want done with your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and other accounts.
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