In general, humans tend to worry more about what will happen BEFORE we die. But we now live in the digital age, and we must be aware that our user accounts, blog posts, forum posts etc… may well live on well beyond our own lives.

The main concern here is what will happen to your passwords and accounts when you die?

If you were to get hit by a bus tomorrow, what would happen to your online accounts, blogs, or anything else that requires a password?

What if?

What would happen to your business if your emails were not answered for one month?

What would happen if all your emails and contacts were deleted?

What would happen if nobody knew your passwords or details?

What if people were trying to continue charging you for monthly payments after you had died?

These are morbid questions, but part of being a good business person is being prepared.

Giving Your Details to Your Family 

Giving your login and business details to your family is probably your best option. I am not saying that you should go and hand all your details to everyone and make them public knowledge, but they should be accessible in a worst case scenario.

What I would recommend is to perhaps burn the details onto a CD and put them in a safe or fireproof storage area. You can pick up a fire-proof box these days for $99.

It would also be best to have a list of all your main business and personal contacts on the CD, it is likely that they will want to be notified.

Have a simple step by step guide

Don’t expect your nearest and dearest to know that you have affiliate accounts with uncollected funds, or you have a blog that needs to notify it’s readers…

Create a step by step guide to what should be done in the case of your death.

e.g

1) Here are all the accounts that could potentially have funds that are owed to me (A, B, C etc), here are the login details, create an invoice and send via fax… etc.

2) Here is a list of all the main contacts in my life. These include business contacts, and old friends. I would like them all to be informed of my passing, and invited to my funeral.

3) My business partner will be able to run the business in full, however, you now own a 50% share, so each month ensure that you receive A B and C.

4) My blog is at xxxxxxx.com please post a quick message to notify my readers. You can ask Dave to help you with the message if you don’t understand the techniques required.

5) Please try and sell my 3 sites within one month of my death. You can use this money to cover costs on the home etc… again, ask Dave for assistance, and ask him to list the sites at midascode.co.uk and sitepoint.com

I apologise for such a sober subject, but ignoring something doesn’t mean you won’t have to face it.

I hope this  post has been useful, and I welcome any questions or suggestions.