Page 18 Say nr Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller How to Prepare Your Online Accounts Before You Die Dear Savvy Senior, I recently had an estate plan drafted, including a will, power of attorney and advance directive, but I’m not sure what to do about all my online accounts – email, banking, and social media. What can I do to make sure my family can access what they need and protect my digital information after I’m gone. Almost 80 Dear Almost, In addition to creating an estate plan, you should also make a “digital will” that lists all your online accounts and login information. This will help your loved ones access your electronic devices and online accounts more easily so they can manage your electronic aff airs, according to your wishes, after you’re gone. Montana State University offers a Digital Assets Inventory Worksheet (see Montana.edu/ estateplanning/digitalsssetsworksheet.pdf) to help you get started. Or consider purchasing a “password book” on Amazon for a few dollars. This will let you record and organize your online account information alphabetically. Here are a few other tips to help you prepare your digital life for your survivors. Apple: If you’re an iPhone, iPad or Mac user, you should nominate a “legacy contact” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. This is a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, fi les and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system. iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks need macOS Monterey 12.1. For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device. You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF. Take note that there are some types of fi les you won’t be able to pass on – including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account. Google: Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager (see Support.google.com/accounts/answer/3036546), which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account. When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait – from three to 18 months – before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people. You can choose what types of data they can access – including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos. There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline. Facebook and Instagram: If you’re on Facebook or Instagram, both of which are owned by the parent company Meta, you can have your accounts either memorialized or deleted after you die if the companies get a valid request from a family member or friend. See Facebook. com/help/1111566045566400 or Help .Instagr am. com/264154560391256 for details. Meta also strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after your memorial accounts – see Facebook. com/help/1070665206293088. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also must have a Facebook account. Passwords: If you use a password manager – a service that creates, saves and manages passwords for all your online accounts – see if it has an emergency access feature. Some services, like Keeper, Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access your keys in case of an emergency or death. Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070. nior ior THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, DECEmbER 19, 2025 BEACON | FROM PAGE 17 device are billed for parking at MBTA lots through the mail at a higher rate than riders who use the app. They argue this is unfair to those without the means to purchase a mobile phone or who have trouble using their phone. Rep. Bill Galvin (D-Canton), the sponsor of the legislation, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him why he fi led the bill and if he expects the bill to receive additional approval in the House and then approval in the Senate. Opponents of the bill say the measure is unnecessary because drivers can already currently pay the fee with a landline phone at the same rate that mobile phone users pay. SCHOOLS MUST PROVIDE TYPE 1 DIABETES INFORMATION TO PARENTS (H 586) – The Public Health Committee held a hearing on a bill that would require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), in coordination with the Department of Public Health, to develop Type 1 diabetes informational materials for the parents and guardians of public school pupils when the student is fi rst enrolled in elementary school and again upon his or her entry into 6th grade. The materials would be required to undergo periodic updates as necessary and be made available to each school district, county offi ce of education and charter school through the DESE’s website. Schools would be required to provide the information to parents and guardians by January 1, 2026. The materials would be required to include a description of Type 1 diabetes; a description of the risk factors and warning signs associated with Type 1 diabetes; a recommendation regarding those students displaying warning signs associated with Type 1 diabetes that the parents or guardians of those students should immediately consult with the student’s primary care provider to determine if immediate screening for Type 1 diabetes is appropriate; and a recommendation that, following a Type 1 diagnosis, parents or guardians should consult with the student’s primary care provider to develop an appropriate treatment plan, which may include consultation with and examination by a specialty care provider, including a properly qualifi ed endocrinologist. Supporters say that the bill would help identify students with Type 1 diabetes earlier and begin early and appropriate treatment for this disease that aff ects so many children. Rep. Jessica Giannino (D-Revere), the sponsor of the legislation, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking her why she fi led the bill and why she thinks it is important for the Legislature to approve the measure. AGENT ORANGE (H 4688 and H 4691) – The Committee on Transportation held a hearing on legislation that would create a special Agent Orange license plate that would be made available, at no cost, to car owners who served in Vietnam and have suff ered from exposure to Agent Orange. The plate would bear the Orange Star distinctive emblem that identifi es Vietnam veterans exposed to the agent. Meanwhile, the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight held a hearing on legislation that would establish August 10th as Agent Orange Awareness Day. Both bills were co-sponsored by Reps. Jim Hawkins (D-Attleboro) and Kelly Pease (R-Westfi eld). Supporters said that Agent Orange was widely used in Vietnam by the United States Armed Forces as part of the herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, from 1961 until 1971. They noted that nearly 20 million gallons of the orange powder were sprayed over the land from helicopters or low-fl ying aircraft, destroying vegetation and crops to deprive enemy guerrillas of food and cover for their activities. Supporters noted that at the same time, this exposed 2.6 million American soldiers to the herbicide and defoliant chemical, which causes a number of serious illnesses, including leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, ischemic heart disease, soft tissue sarcoma, amyloidosis, diabetes and cancers of the throat, prostate, lung and colon. Pease said he co-sponsored these two bills to recognize the lasting sacrifices made by Vietnam War veterans and their families. “These bills ensure continued awareness of the health impacts of Agent Orange exposure while paying tribute to the courage and service of those who endured it. It’s important that Massachusetts never forgets the cost of their service and continues to support those still living with its consequences.” “We fi led [those bills] since there are still so many Vietnam veterans around who are still suff ering from the severe health consequences of exposure to Agent Orange and to honor their service and sacrifi ce,” said Hawkins. SAFETY OF CANDIDATES (S 2742) – The Election Laws Committee held a hearing on legislation designed to enhance the safety and security of candidates for public offi ce by removing home addresses from ballots, nomination papers and other materials. The measure also would protect from disclosure of personal contact information maintained by government entities on elected offi cials, judges, judicial offi cers, law enforcement personnel, public prosecutors, public defenders and state licensed professionals whose work subjects them to an elevated safety risk. Supporters said that Massachusetts is the only state in the nation that unnecessarily puts people at risk by requiring candidates to put their street addresses on nomination papers and ballots. “Amid harassment, intimidation, assault and cold-blooded murder of elected offi cials and their families, as well as health care professionals, law enforcement officers and others, we must do everything we possibly can to protect our existing public servants and make it safe for anyone to run for and serve in offi ce,” said sponsor Sen. Becca Rausch (D-Needham). “Notably, this is not a partisan issue, as fi gures spanning the political spectrum have faced terrible violence.” REPARATIVE JUSTICE FOR DESCENDANTS OF SLAVES (H 1696 and H 1753) – The Judiciary Committee held a hearBEACON | SEE PAGE 19
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