Think digitalization makes life easier?
Digitalization was supposed to make our lives simpler. Everything faster, more organized, arranged with a single click. But ask yourself honestly: is that really the case? Or has our world mostly become a tangle of passwords, accounts, apps, and devices that no one can keep track of anymore?
From binders to digital mazes
It used to be simple. Everything was stored in a folder in the cabinet: insurance policies, contracts, important documents. If something happened, you knew exactly where to look. At the office, there was an archive with a key. Whoever had it could access what was needed. Today? You have to wonder whether a document is in Dropbox, OneDrive, an email attachment, or perhaps in an app you don’t even remember installing.
👉 Learn more: Storing Your Most Important Information
What happens if something happens to you?
Imagine something happens to you. Would your partner, friend, or family member know exactly what to do? Does anyone have access to the passwords for your laptop, your phone, your social media accounts, or the smart locks on your house? Do your loved ones know which insurance policies you have, or that you own a crypto account with funds in it? Chances are, the honest answer to these questions is “no” rather than “yes.”
👉 See also: Which Documents Are Essential for Your Estate Plan
And it’s not just about death. Think about an accident that leaves you sidelined for a while. While you recover, someone else may need to handle your business administration, pay the utility bills, or cancel a subscription. How easy or difficult would that be for the person temporarily stepping into your shoes? If you can’t take care of things yourself or explain them, it’s a relief if you’ve already made a plan in advance.
👉 Related: How Trusted Appointees Work
Convenience that turns into chaos
The promise of digitalization sounds wonderful, but in practice it often creates chaos once someone else has to step into your digital footprints. Accounts remain active, subscriptions quietly continue, devices become inaccessible without login details, and valuable funds disappear because no one even knows they exist.
There are countless examples of crypto wallets and bitcoins that have been lost forever, simply because no one knew they existed, or because the access codes weren’t shared. What once seemed like a smart investment ends up as a forgotten digital treasure chest that nobody can ever open.
👉 Read also: Your Digital Life: Chaotic or Organised?
And the examples in daily life keep adding up. Think about a Netflix subscription that keeps on running, a smart thermostat that can’t be adjusted without the right app, or a cloud-based photo collection that no one can access anymore. Small things perhaps, but in times of grief and chaos, they add unnecessary weight.
Even more complicated in business
The risks are even bigger in business. What if you’re the only one who knows the digital code to the office building? Or if the password for the accounting software exists only in your head? Consider business contracts that were signed and stored digitally, but where no one else has the right login. And what about your succession plan, have you even thought about it and shared it? For a business partner or co-owner, the consequences can be dramatic: from practical roadblocks to operations grinding to a halt.
👉 Related: Legacy Planning for Entrepreneurs
Why you need to take action today
That’s why it’s so important to think now about what would happen tomorrow if you weren’t there, temporarily or permanently. Nobody wants their loved ones to scramble for passwords or get lost in digital mazes. What used to be a binder on the shelf must now be actively reorganized and shared. Being prepared for the unexpected creates peace of mind. Not just for yourself, but especially for those you leave behind. And it doesn’t have to be complicated at all.
The first step to peace of mind
Want to see how easy it can be to bring order to your digital legacy? Start a [free trial] Life After Me account today. One small step now means one less worry tomorrow.
👉 Start here: Create your account
Do it today, because no one knows what tomorrow will bring.
