A Will helps us to layout a smooth path for management and/or distribution of our assets after our transition from this earth. It provide you with sole discretion over who has control over the distribution of your assets and let you decide how material things such as money, automobile, houses, land etc., are distributed. It is the legal document that set forth your wishes regarding distribution of you tangible property. But what happens to your non-tangible property – your digital assets?
Most of us have accumulated huge digital footprints over the past 20 years. Since the invention of the I-Phone (and other smart devices) ten years ago, our digital assets have expanded exponentially. Such properties include e-mails, passwords, social media accounts and music, videos and books downloads. Some of this data exists on computers and other local devise, while much of it is held in some kind of Cloud Service. The purpose of this article is to alert our readers that it might be a good idea to establish a parallel Will and Testament for digital assets. At minimum, place a clause in the material will that specifies who should have access and oversight of your digital legacy. In specifying your wishes regarding access and distribution of your digital assets after your death, you should be sure to include a legal document instructing the transfer of the licenses for digital downloads such as I-Tunes or Amazon libraries.
