Taking 15 minutes now to jot down your online passwords could save your family hours of frustration after you are gone.
As we all know, large chunks of our lives, both financial and personal, are lived online—bank statements, stock trades and email archives are all available with a few keystrokes. But when people die, their passwords often go with them, along with access to their digital assets.
Leon LaBrecque, a certified financial planner in Troy, Mich., says he has encountered the problem with a number of clients, including one who also was a friend who died of cancer. Mr. LaBrecque's friend had told him that his financial records were on his computer, but when the planner asked the client's wife for his password, she didn't know it.
"I looked at the dog sitting in the chair next to the computer, and typed in his name, Pepper. It worked, but I've been in other situations where we've had to hire a computer programmer to get into a hard drive," Mr. LaBrecque says.
via online.wsj.com
Like I posted previously, make the list, but also provide relatives with common combinations or password "roots".
Perhaps you always use the last 4 digits of your phone number with either a street name or a college or a pets name. Let them know that you use the combinations so its easier to figure out a password in the event you've changed it since you made the list.
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