Passwords after death

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Hello everyone!

This is my first post, so please be gentle with me!

At the moment, I'm in the process of setting up a web-based business. This means:
- buying domain names (whose control panel is accessed by password)
- buying hosting (accessed by password)
- setting up a shopping cart (another password)
- creating an account with a payment processor like PayPal (yet another password)

And I haven't even mentioned the e-mail accounts associated with the site, nor the blogging, FaceBook and MySpace accounts used to promote the site, all of which are accessed with passwords.

While I've been setting some of these up, it crossed my mind that all of these passwords were locked in my head. And then it occurred to me that if I were to meet with an unexpectedly premature demise, those passwords would pass away with me.

So then I started to worry. What happens if my web based business is doing well, bringing in a respectable income.... and I get hit by a bus? How do the family members that I leave behind gain access to the site, or more importantly the revenue stream?

Does anyone know of a system where passwords can be placed in an envelope to be opened "in the event of my death"?

Sorry for being so morbid, but it's better to sort this out now rather than wait til it's too late!

John.
  • Profile picture of the author Mark Brian
    There would be no available system to identify you've died unless your ghost will press the "unleash my passwords" button The best thing you can do is have a trusted partner who knows how to operate your business.
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  • Profile picture of the author Phnx
    Put it amongst the documents that they would normally go through IF you joss it. Insurance policies, Wills etc. You can let them know the passwords will be in there (unless you don't trust them ), otherwise they'll find it when they go through the needed documents.

    That's what I do anyway.

    ETA: if you are wanting them to continue getting the income stream, you'd need to leave instructions on setting up a PayPal account and diverting the payments into that. Banks usually shut down accounts once they know you are dead, and once you've shown them the death certificate they transfer any monies to you. Might be illegal for your family members to carry on using your PayPal account.
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  • Profile picture of the author espacecadet
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    • Profile picture of the author Dave Patterson
      Originally Posted by espacecadet View Post


      Me? All of my passwords and user names are written in Egyptian and stored in a brass canister buried in a safe place near the top of Mt. Everest.

      Now all I need worry about are those gurus stumbling upon it...
      Eeeeekkkk....they already did and one of those morons dumped out the contents and turned it into a lamp...

      It was sold Saturday at a flea market in Tibet...
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  • Profile picture of the author Mal Keenan
    You could also use something like roboform to store all your passwords then just give your trustee the core password for roboform and access to your pc.
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    • Profile picture of the author Peter Bestel
      Hi and welcome John

      I think Mal's suggestion is the winner!!

      Peter

      P.S. I think I've seen you on Enterprise Nation. This is an altogether different forum - the sheer speed of the posts zipping down the page of the main forum is enough to make you dizzy. I hope you're managing to absorb the info you need.
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  • Profile picture of the author espacecadet
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    • Profile picture of the author John Henderson
      Wow! Thanks for the warm welcomes, and thanks for taking my rather strange query seriously. I feared that everyone would think that I was a crank and wait until my post dropped off the bottom of the page...

      Yes, Mal's Roboform idea is a good one, but there's only one hitch... I'm a Mac user!

      I think that perhaps I should take Phnx's advice and print the usernames/passwords onto a sheet of A4 and put it somewhere. Someplace where it can be easily found - but not too easily!

      Oh, and hi Peter! Yes, that was me on Enterprise Nation. I think it was your Heather who recommended this site. And you're right about the speed of change! If you don't visit this place regularly, you're sure to miss something!

      As for absorbing what's happening: so far, I've had to look-up "PLR" and "WSO". It might be a slow process, but I'm learning...
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      • Profile picture of the author Peter Bestel
        Hi John

        I noticed on Enterprise Nation that you'd also looked at Digital Point. It's not appropriate on Emma's site to slag off any other site. but here...

        Don't waste your time with 'Dufus Point' as it's affectionately known. Apart from the dodgy characters on there (admittedly there are some here too - but far less) the quality of information on the Warrior Forum far outweighs anything you'll find on DP.

        Use the search facility, it's awesome and I'd recommend membership to the War Room - some stuff in there that is worth a fortune - for a relatively small, one-off fee.

        Why not introduce yourself on the main forum - don't be too long-winded, just a quick hi. Gets you a little bit of exposure which can't be bad.

        Peter
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        • Profile picture of the author Kay King
          I have a spiral bound 6x8" address book I bought on sale several years ago.
          I enter programs/sites and passwords in it whenever I generate a new user name -password combo. I enter the info just alphabetizing the site/program name and in the "notes" section in the back I keep a list of my hosting and site logins. Only takes a few seconds to do and it's become a habit over the years. That little book has my online life in it!

          I use roboform and love it - but the address book is my backup.

          kay
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    You could do whats known as the "poor mans copywrite" which was invented by the man in my profile pic ( not the avatar).
    Write all the information down and send it registered mail to yourself. Then as someone mentioned before, keep the envelope with all your other documents such as your will and such.
    The only flaw is that if you updated them often you would need to resend them to yourself often.
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  • Profile picture of the author bendiggs
    So I have my passwords and other important electronic data backed up to a DVD, and that DVD is locked in my safety deposit box in the bank. My wife of course has access to that safety deposit box, as does my brother in the event that both the wife and I die at the same time. It is always good to have a trusted person have access to your information in the event of an untimely death.
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas Wilkinson
    I use a weblog notebook. I know its old fashioned
    but it has all my passwords, adinfinitum password
    changes, software license keys and everything else
    needed to get into my computer and business. Unless
    I'm using it the thing stays in my safe. The combination
    to the safe is in a bunch of paperwork at my lawyer's
    office.

    T.W.
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    • Profile picture of the author HeySal
      Holy cow - you scared me. I thought you were saying we needed passwords to get into anyplace else after we leave here. Whew - don't do that!
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      Sal
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrician
    We are on the same wavelength Sal and I can't resist it so look away.

    Password After Death? GodLetMeOut
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Password After Death? GodLetMeOut
    After death you are ALREADY out, Pat. Don't you mean GodLetMeIn? Or were you planning on going elsewhere first? LOL.
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    Sal
    When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
    Beyond the Path

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  • Profile picture of the author Patrician
    Out further where you don't need the password.

    LOL. The Tibetans think you hang out for 3 days before you split...

    Yeh In - too much of a commitment - who wants to be trapped again - Out is where it's at...

    lol.

    sorry for hijacking your thread dude.
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