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How do people plan for their deaths in terms of account & device secrets (passwords, 2fa etc.)? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 5 months ago by Whooping_Seal@sh.itjust.works to c/privacyguides@lemmy.one

9 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I have thought about this on and off for quite a few years now, and I was just wondering what people here have done while maintaining account / device security.

I hope people don't mind this rather morbid conversation, but how have people here planned for what will happen with their accounts, computers, self hosted things etc. in the event of their deaths? I am particularly interested in what people have planned for if they are the person in their household who is self hosting things for the household. I'm not in a living situation that allows me to self host much but it is one of the questions I've had for myself when I decide to move in with my significant other and self host more things. I don't think they could manage much of the self hosted stuff and I also don't think they can remember all of the credentials for accounts etc., is the best way of going about it sharing a keepass database or bitwarden account with them?

In regards to my accounts, I am not expecting most of my accounts to transfer, if anything I'd much rather them be deleted (and I have enabled this feature where possible). There are a few however, that I wouldn't mind leaving to someone after my passing. Is there a privacy and security preserving way of setting this up?

I guess I have just been struggling with how to do this, ideally I would want a way for accounts to transfer to someone listed in my will, but I don't think it's a good idea to give ~2-3 people a copy of my keepass databse while I am still living.

I am looking forward to hearing what people's thoughts are on this matter, and I apologize again for such a morbid topic.

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[–] ultranaut@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

Bitwarden shared vault. There's also a feature where you can designate someone to gain access to your vault via a dead man's switch.

[–] drkt@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I'm dead, I don't care.

[–] BartyDeCanter@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I know that’s supposed to be a jokey edgy comment but advanced planning is really important for those you leave behind. They will absolutely appreciate it if you have done the basics of estate planning (will, advance directives, digital account planning) so that it’s not one more burden during one of their most difficult time in life.

[–] drkt@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (3 children)

I know you mean well but I'm honestly serious. I don't have a house, debt or money. The most expensive thing I own is a store-bought bicycle.

We're lower class people. My grandpa was dumped in the ocean and my grandma is in an unmarked grave. I haven't seen my dad in a decade and I have no siblings. I won't care because there's nothing to care about.

e: This sounds way more depressing than I meant for it. Don't take it like that, I'm happy. It's just the reality that I'm not leaving anything of note behind for anybody to take.

[–] Iamsqueegee@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 months ago

Dibs on the bike!

[–] BartyDeCanter@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 5 months ago

Even if you don't have anything material to leave behind, there are still a few questions that it's good to have the answers written down for, mostly advanced directives. You can find free AD forms if you live in the US at https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/financial-legal/free-printable-advance-directives/ and most other countries have a similar system.

[–] Ilandar@aussie.zone 1 points 5 months ago

Nah, it wasn't depressing. The privileged middle class are completely clueless about life outside of their bubble, so good on you for sharing your truth.

[–] BartyDeCanter@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 5 months ago

In my filing cabinet that contains my will and other emergency documents I have a printout of the emergency backup codes for my password manager and my google account. That should be enough for my heirs to get whatever they need and want.

[–] cobysev@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

My wife has access to my password database. If I go before her, she's in charge of going through all my accounts and shutting stuff down.

My father actually just passed away a few months ago. I had convinced him to use unique passwords for everything, but he couldn't keep track of them all, so he just wrote them all down on a piece of paper that he kept on his computer desk. When he passed, my sister took a photo of his password sheet and we both have been going through his stuff, closing accounts, transferring money, notifying his social media accounts of his passing, etc.

For the record, my dad had a Trust set up, with my sister as the executor of the Trust, so we've already talked about money stuff (even with my dad while he was still alive) and we're both in agreement. And we're both decent people, so there's no complications with dividing his estate or anything. My sister is in charge of all his finances, and she's been very straightforward with me about what he had and how it's being divided up.

EDIT: If my wife goes before me, I would probably give my sister access to my password database. She and I are pretty close, and I'd trust her with that access.