Speaking of death
Since we’re talking about it, I have a question about the more practical things that come from death. I have a will and a living will and insurance and all that. But it occurs to me: What happens to my blog when I die? Or, for that matter, my various email accounts? I also need to make a list of my various accounts and passwords so that in the event I croak, my wife can access things like Google ads and whatnot.
How do you guys do that?
Maybe I need to do an If You’re Reading This, I’m Dead post and set it to post at a future date. So long as I’m alive, I can keep delaying its publication. But if I keel over, it will publish. That way, at least you’ll know. And, you know, that will surely result in a spike in traffic and a subsequent increase in ad revenue. And my wife will need to have a way to collect that. So, we get back to getting her access to stuff.
February 15th, 2007 at 11:02 am
Keep a file on your computer with the access information and write the location (and any needed username or passowrd) on a piece of paper that you keep with your will.
February 15th, 2007 at 11:46 am
I’ve wondered about this myself. My mom is full admin on my blog, so she could at least get in. But the Blogads revenue and such? Guess it’s so minor it doesn’t really matter. But still, good questions. The hosting company is one I hadn’t thought of before. Hmmm…damn. I need to think about this crap, too.
February 15th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I told my wife how I create my passwords.
I used to have only two or three passwords, which she also knew. Some were used for sites and things I didn’t think I needed very much security for, and some used rarely for higher security. She could just try them all for a particular site and get in.
Then I was listening to a security podcast that pointed out if one of the places you use gets your password, they have it to all your sites. But having a bunch of different secure passwords make it hard to remember. This security podcast suggested you develop an algorithm based on the domain and some unchanging, probably numeric, piece of data.
That’s what I do now and I’ve told my wife so she can access stuff if I die. Including my blog.
Bruce Schneier says to write down your passwords and keep it with the other pieces of paper you values a lot, your money.
I don’t have a secret email account for talking to my mistresses nor porn accounts I don’t want her to see, so I can give her everything. 🙂
February 15th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
As someone who had to maintain a blog and e-mail and such for a while after My Love passed, I’ve been there.
As discussed, passwords were shared and accounts had been created for me when she became ill. Being prepared is part of the solution.
But I also had to go through her cell phone and contact her friends that I had rarely spoken with. Co-workers, high-school friends, etc. I went through her e-mail contacts and sent them notes about her situation.
I had been posting on her blog when she became to ill to update it, so that part was (relatively) easy.
She was also subscribed to a lot of newsletters that were small (e.g. less than 100 people), and I felt obligated to inform them as to why she was no longer subscribing.
The most frustrating part was the online accounts – payPal, eBay, netBank, etc. They wanted me to mail a copy of the Certificate of Death in order to close the account, even though I knew her password and information. Heck, I didn’t even want to *look* at the CoD, let alone get (more) certified copies and mail them out. Some of the accounts, I just ignored – they will go to the state escheats after a few years. Ironically, just this month, I’ve received letters from some of these companies regarding the interest earned on accounts with a balance of
February 15th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Very interesting questions. I had not thought of that. Now I need to get a list together for my wife.
February 15th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Also, know what will happen to your guns when you bite the dust. Jack.
February 15th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
You mean something like this?
February 16th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
I’ve thought about creating a masterlist of all my accounts and passwords and putting them into a safety deposit box at the bank. That way whoever would handle my estate would get the deposit box and the contents and have access to all electronic resources necessary. I guess you could also include specific statements in your will as to what to do with all these ‘electronic properties/concerns’.