Almost everyone has social media accounts these days. You may think that after your death, your family can close the account and announce your death to your followers. However, this is not always possible.
Forbes explains that if you want someone to handle your account after your death, you will need to leave instructions in your estate plan. You should note, though, that in some cases, even if you plan ahead, your heirs may still run into issues.
Treat it like an asset
When it comes to putting your social media accounts in your estate plan, you should handle them just like any other asset. However, you have to read the terms of service with each social media provider. You want to match your instructions with the TOS to ensure your heir does not run into any complications when accessing your account.
You want to provide the login information for each account. Make sure you keep it updated. Also, provide the heir with access to your back-up security methods. For example, if your account requires entering a text code, then you want your heir to have access to your cell phone so he or she can retrieve the code. Typically, customer service cannot help someone access an account, especially if he or she is not the owner, even with permission from you.
Complications
There are issues with most social media platforms where the TOS forbids access by anyone other than the user. Typically, this will apply only in situations where there is no legal consent to access the account. Just giving someone your login information will not allow legal access to the account. Your estate plan should handle this hurdle.