CBA SPRING LAW SERIES 2020
Presented by the CBA Wills, Estates and Trusts Section
An Estate Planner's Primer to Digital Assets
End-of-life planning becomes ever more prevalent as the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic impacts us directly. Almost every client has digital assets, such as online accounts (email, video streaming services, cloud storage, etc.), but few plan for how to deal with their digital assets in the event of incapacity or death. The pandemic is accelerating clients' use of technology, as the world shifts to dependency on online communication, shopping, banking, etc. In today’s world, an estate planner’s role includes advising the client of options for how to handle their digital assets and then putting a thoughtful plan in place so that fiduciaries (attorneys, executors and trustees) and beneficiaries are not left in a difficult situation. Proper planning is of vital importance given the reality that our client’s increasing use of the internet to manage their day-to-day affairs leaves fiduciaries with little to no paper trail in the home office. The exploration of what digital assets are from a technology/use perspective and the laws that apply will aid us in knowing how to best plan and deal with a client’s digital assets.
By covering the topics listed below, this webinar will serve as every estate planner’s primer to digital assets:
- Understanding digital assets from a technology management perspective
- The administration of digital assets during incapacity and after death
- How to plan for digital assets in the event of incapacity/death
Presenters