Ensure Your Next Of Kin Can Access Your Devices

Terminal_Boy

Terminal_Boy

Terminal_Boy

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Whomever you have listed as your next of kin should know where all your physical legal documents are kept.

Ensure that they know how to access whatever your primary device/computer is.

This device should contain a list of passwords in some accessible form.

Other really helpful info:

- Contact details for your family solicitor
- Your funeral wishes
- Which email address/phone number/bank account is connected to all your government services, health and utility providers
 
Couldn't agree more. When the worst happens, you want as few obstacles and decisions to make as possible as you'll have a lot to deal with without all that being involved too. There are 'last wishes' books you can get which go through everything with a load of useful prompts and covers off practical things like where you have bank accounts etc. but also things like funeral preferences, song choices, etc. which is so incredibly useful in those rough times. Old fashioned 'password books' are useful if you're dealing with someone older but a lot of the online password vaults also have a process for granting access to a named person in the event of any major life things happening (or even no activity in x days).

I hope that this hasn't come from a place of necessity on your part but a very useful reminder for everyone to have their affairs in order, no one knows what life is going to chuck you.
 
Terminal_Boy said:
This device should contain a list of passwords in some accessible form.
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Nope, terrible advice unless you are 100% positive (and even then I wouldn't recommend it) they will never get hacked or scammed, too many people allow unwarranted remote access to their devices and having a file full of passwords on it is just asking for trouble unless you go to great lengths to obfuscate the contents. A hard copy kept with legal documents is a far safer option.
 
Dano said:
Nope, terrible advice unless you are 100% positive (and even then I wouldn't recommend it) they will never get hacked or scammed, too many people allow unwarranted remote access to their devices and having a file full of passwords on it is just asking for trouble unless you go to great lengths to obfuscate the contents. A hard copy kept with legal documents is a far safer option.
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I agree that having the passwords in digital form on a device is dangerous (and a commonly trawled thing with malware etc.) but the principle of the thing is important. A password book tucked away somewhere safe that is known about by family is incredibly useful to dealing with a person's affairs.
 
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Regarding storing passwords on a device, I do this but just don't write the full password, merely hints to trigger what it really is, that only I will know - I know this doesn't help someone else know what it is (like a family member etc) but for my own use, it works, and is 100% safe.
 
jpaul said:
recent thread was addressin this
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/t...-secured-data-sharing.19005676/#post-37966087
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Also this thread I made several months ago.

In the end I settled on:

Setting up a 1Password family account for me, my partner, our oldest (13), and my mum - shared vault with details of all the household stuff, shared vault for In Case Of Emergency, with life insurance, pension, etc. details.
My partner and I printed out our "Emergency Kit" documents and put hidden in a "safe place"
 
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I just have it all written down in a book of passwords/accounts, alongside all my bank, savings info, list of hard drives that need immediately burning etc etc.
I've let people know it exists but not exactly where it is. Can't really think of a better way to do it.
 
Tom_ed1987 said:
I just have it all written down in a book of passwords/accounts, alongside all my bank, savings info, list of hard drives that need immediately burning etc etc.
I've let people know it exists but not exactly where it is. Can't really think of a better way to do it.
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Have they watched the content on those HDD's though? You might end up wanting to die, if they do :cry:
 
i need to sort some of this out

Although i think a couple of my email accounts i would rather self distruct


I also need to setup a will, still not done this yet
 
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Dano said:
Nope, terrible advice unless you are 100% positive (and even then I wouldn't recommend it) they will never get hacked or scammed, too many people allow unwarranted remote access to their devices and having a file full of passwords on it is just asking for trouble unless you go to great lengths to obfuscate the contents. A hard copy kept with legal documents is a far safer option.
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Fair point.
 
Is it bad that I have a - "in case I die" Sealed envelope for my mum or sister who'll have to deal with my life?
Of course this will get updated when mum is not around or I have a wife etc.

But its the starting access codes to get into my devices and password vault.
Along with general instructions of whats about, what needs reviewing/cancelling, where to get money out etc etc.
 
I definitely agree it's helpful to know you have a pension with X, life insurance with Y, an ISA with Z, etc.

But is it necessary for the next of kin to have access to the account (I.e. Usernames, passwords, 2fa, etc)? Don't these sorts of places have protocols for when contacted by family of the deceased?
 
sidimmu said:
Is it bad that I have a - "in case I die" Sealed envelope for my mum or sister who'll have to deal with my life?
Of course this will get updated when mum is not around or I have a wife etc.

But its the starting access codes to get into my devices and password vault.
Along with general instructions of whats about, what needs reviewing/cancelling, where to get money out etc etc.
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No, that’s brilliant idea.

You could even have a solicitor hold it for you and let family know of its existence and who to contact.
 
Leave paper copies of all important documents in a readily accessible place. All our savings are with passbook accounts, ISA'S etc., insurances etc have paper copies filed as do all utility providers. Will is with solicitors.

Messing about with passwords, 2FA etc., passwords should be regularly changed anyway, is for the birds.
 
NotAGolf said:
I definitely agree it's helpful to know you have a pension with X, life insurance with Y, an ISA with Z, etc.

But is it necessary for the next of kin to have access to the account (I.e. Usernames, passwords, 2fa, etc)? Don't these sorts of places have protocols for when contacted by family of the deceased?
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Doomsday Envelope held by the solicitor is looking the way to go, isn’t it?

A One Stop Shop that NoK only get to see once there’s a Death Certificate.
 
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