De-activating Your Digital Accounts

From personal accounts to business operations, our lives are more digitally connected than ever. If you’re thinking ahead and planning a technology exit strategy in the event of your passing, here are key steps to help ensure a smooth transition for your digital assets and technology holdings:

1. Inventory Your Digital Assets

Try and list all your online accounts, including social media, cloud storage, email, and financial platforms. Be sure to include login credentials and even consider a password manager with emergency access. Help organize by documenting important files, software licenses, and digital subscriptions.

2. Appoint a Digital Executor

Choose someone you trust to handle your digital assets. Make sure they fully understand your wishes for closing, transferring, or maintaining accounts and provide legal authorization (consider adding this to your will or trust).

3. Business Technology Considerations

If you own a business, document IT infrastructure, cloud services, domain names, and intellectual property. Ensure your co-founders, partners, or designated successors have access to critical systems but you can try and automate transitions where they’re applicable (e.g., shared access with business partners).

4. Legal and Estate Planning

Work with an attorney to include digital assets into your estate plan in compliance with data privacy laws. Don’t forget to specify wishes for social media accounts (e.g., memorialization or deletion).

5. Secure Financial Accounts & Crypto Holdings

Use multi-signature wallets or smart contract-based inheritance solutions for cryptocurrency. You can store private keys and instructions securely, with legal provisions for access. Be sure to inform your beneficiaries about stock or tech investments and how to access them.

6. Automate and Backup

To help keep everything up to date, set up automatic data backups and access recovery options. You can use “legacy contact” features for platforms like Google, Apple, and Facebook, and use a scheduled email service to notify trusted individuals upon inactivity.

Here is an example of a final exit strategy checklist for terminating online accounts that you can reference:

Step 1: Inventory & Backup

• Make a list of all online accounts (email, social media, financial, subscriptions, etc.)
• Download/back up important data (emails, photos, financial records, etc.)
• Remove unnecessary personal information from accounts

Step 2: Close or Transfer Critical Accounts

• Email Accounts: Keep one for essential recovery, or forward emails to a trusted contact
• Financial Accounts: Settle balances and close credit cards/bank accounts
• Cancel autopayments and direct deposits
• Subscriptions & Memberships: Cancel recurring charges (Netflix, Amazon, etc.)
• Business or Investment Accounts: Transfer ownership or provide instructions

Step 3: Delete or Deactivate Online Accounts

• Social media: Delete posts, remove personal data, request full account deletion
• Retail & Online Services: Close accounts and remove payment methods
• Cloud Storage: Delete files before closing accounts
• Streaming & Gaming Services: Unlink payment info, delete accounts

Step 4: Remove Personal Data from the Web

• Use data removal services (e.g., DeleteMe, OneRep)
• Request removal of personal details from websites and people-search databases
• Delete public forum/blog posts with personal information

Step 5: Secure or Wipe Devices

• Securely erase hard drives and personal data
• Perform a factory reset on old devices before disposing of them
• Encrypt or destroy physical storage devices if necessary

Step 6: Leave Digital Instructions (Optional)

• Document account credentials in a secure location (password manager, legal will)
• Set up legacy contacts for platforms like Google, Apple, and Facebook
• Leave clear instructions for account handling in case of emergency or passing

Taking the time to plan for every situation helps ensure your assets are protected, your wishes are honored, and your loved ones aren’t confused. If you’d like help reviewing your plan to make sure nothing is overlooked, contact our office. We’re here to help you cover every detail. You can contact Global View Capital Advisors Mid-Wisconsin at (715) 298-0313. 

Global View Capital Management (GVCM) is an affiliate of Global View Capital Advisors (GVCA). GVCM is a SEC Registered Investment Advisory firm headquartered at N14W23833 Stone Ridge Drive, Suite 350, Waukesha, WI 53188-1126. 262.650.1030. Gerri Meverden is an Investment Adviser Representative (“Adviser”) with GVCM. Additional information can be found at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov

Global View Capital Insurance Services (GVCI) is an affiliate of Global View Capital Advisors (GVCA). GVCI services offered through Experior Financial Group, ASH Brokerage, and/or PKS Financial. GVCI is headquartered at N14W23833 Stone Ridge Drive, Suite 350, Waukesha, WI 53188-1126. 262-650-1030. Gerri Meverden is an Insurance Agent of GVCI.