Increasingly important: How to make your digital will

We live in the age of the Internet. Even after death. That is why a digital will is almost as important as a normal will these days.

In plain language: Anyone who is active on Facebook, Instagram, etc., or who has an online account with a bank or insurance company, should take care in good time about what will happen to it after their death.

BILD explains how it works.

Often, relatives are forced to fight for access to online services after a death. The operators often have rigorous conditions. For example, Microsoft requires a court order to access a user's account after their death.

It's not just about money. It can also be important emotionally for relatives.

“If you don’t make plans for your digital life, your loved ones could suffer what is known as secondary loss,” says James Norris, founder of the British Digital Legacy Association. Your loved ones may feel like they are losing another part of you.

Back up passwords in good time

To facilitate access, experts strongly recommend a digital will This should include access data and passwords for all services in which important data lay.

You can also decide which people should have access to which data. The digital will can be a simple letter that you leave behind. But it can also be deposited with a notary or lawyer as part of the entire will.

Tip: Also create a digital overview of all accounts with user names and passwords. It is best to keep this overview on an encrypted or at least password-protected USB stick – in a safe place.

Also tell your trusted person where to find the access data for your accounts and where you have stored the USB stick.