BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – When people think about planning for the future, they often focus on wills and physical assets. But experts say many are overlooking something increasingly important: their digital footprint.
From online bank accounts and email to social media and stored passwords, a growing portion of daily life now exists online. Certified professional organizer Alyssa Trosclair says failing to plan for those digital assets can create stress and even risk for loved ones after someone dies.
“A lot of people plan their wills and their estates, but they leave out this new factor, which is their digital estate,” Trosclair said.
Trosclair recently spoke to residents in Ascension Parish about the importance of organizing digital information and making a plan for how it should be handled in the event of a death or emergency.
She defines a digital estate as any online account or information tied to a person, including financial accounts, subscriptions, emails, cloud storage, and social media profiles.
“In the past, if someone passed away, you could watch the mail and piece together how they ran their household,” Trosclair said. “You can’t do that anymore.”
Without proper planning, she warns, families may struggle to access important information or close accounts, and unprotected data can become a target for identity theft.
“One of the big risks you run by leaving your information out there is identity theft,” Trosclair said. “People prey on the dead all the time.”
Trosclair encourages people to start with a simple plan, such as creating a secure list of key accounts and passwords and storing it in a place accessible only to a trusted individual. She also recommends designating legacy contacts on certain apps and platforms, which can allow someone limited access if something happens.
For some, the motivation is easing the burden on family members.
Charles Moreau attended the session to make sure his affairs, digital and otherwise, are in order.
“I don’t want them to worry about it,” Moreau said, referring to his family. “I don’t want to put them through the stress and anxiety.”
Trosclair hopes conversations like these will encourage people to take action sooner rather than later.
“It’s very difficult to put together the pieces of the puzzle unless you have their digital footprint in place for them,” she said.
For more information or additional tips on organizing a digital estate, people can contact Alyssa Trosclair by email at alyssa@myemend.com.
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