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Episode 21: Your Handbook for the Great Beyond
20 Plays4 months ago
Join Lorie Burch and the Burch Law Team (Cyntia, Sara, and Sam) this week as we navigate the essential, yet often overlooked, world of end-of-life planning. We'll guide you through organizing everything you need—from securing your passwords and accounts to ensuring all your assets, both digital and tangible, are clearly laid out and accessible to your loved ones. It's almost like crafting your own 'Handbook for the Recently Deceased.' We'll also explore what happens to your social media after you're gone and what you can do to prepare. Finally, we'll wrap up with Sam and Sara's segment on how to be a ghost, figuratively of course.
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Transcript
Introduction to Estate Planning
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of One of Us Knows What They're Talking About. And the other one is you. I'm Lori Burch, your host. Join us as we discuss and unpack wills, trust, estate planning, and probate law in a way that's actually informative, interesting, and well, hopefully
Why You Need a Will
00:00:22
Speaker
entertaining. Because if you don't have a will, the state of Texas has one for you. Let's dive in.
CYA Plan for Estate Tasks
00:00:40
Speaker
So today we're going to talk about end of life resources and information to leave behind, because I know it's exciting, Sarah, calm down, will you? We, you know, it's important that you have the plan in place, will trust powers of attorney, the estate plan. We talk about that um all the time, actually.
00:01:07
Speaker
But that really isn't the whole the whole story there because one thing that we pose to ah our clients because we really like asking the tough, tough questions is if you died today, would your family know where to start and know what to do?
00:01:24
Speaker
And you're not going to be able to fool us because we know after 20 plus years of doing this that the answer is no, even with the best estate plan. And in fact, we developed something a couple of years ago, trademarked the CYA plan that cover your assets plan.
00:01:46
Speaker
Giggle, the CYA plan that we offer to our clients as a supplemental resource for once they have their plan in place to really get these other pieces together. And there's a lot more to our CYA plan. Go to thecyaplan.com. Go to coveryourassetsplan.com. No, no, no, coveryourassets.com. um CIA law, CIA lawyers, go to all of those. You're going to go to the exact same place. But there's more information on what all the different things that we include with this plan. But one of the biggest things that we try to do is help answer that question. And that is, where do people start?
00:02:26
Speaker
um what What do they
Storing Legal Documents
00:02:28
Speaker
do? And a lot of that has to do with um being able to access bank accounts, being able to get into your house. Do you have a pet or plants, things that are living?
00:02:41
Speaker
that someone would need to get to. Where do you keep the documents? Where do they even know? Do you even know that they that you have this? If you have funeral arrangements, do they know where that is? So a lot of it has to do with that. So one of the things that we offer, it's actually a free tool. You can go to our website and find the CYA organizer that is cover your, what is it, Sarah? Asset.
00:03:05
Speaker
assets organizer and anybody I was going to say in the world, but our IT t company um or our our yeah website hosting company hosting has that on lockdown. So you're going to have to be in the United States ah to be able to get this free tool. I think I did ask about Canada.
00:03:26
Speaker
But I don't, I don't know. ah For our community friends out there, let us know. But if you go to our website, but you can go to our resources page, and this is something you can find. You don't have to be a client of Birch Law. But let me go through some of the information that we think is critical for people to know. One is, where do you keep your legal documents?
00:03:46
Speaker
um your wills, your trust, your powers of attorney. Now you're going to have to decide what you want to do for yourselves. But what we ah generally recommend is that you do keep them at home in lieu of a fireproof safe or so I'm sorry, in lieu of a safety deposit box.
00:04:02
Speaker
um Because those get ah frozen, they're only accessible during bank hours. We had an instance during COVID where somebody couldn't even get to a will because the bank was just shut down indefinitely. So we don't think that's the best place, but you know if you insist on doing that, then you need to make sure that you have made the proper arrangements with that financial institution for other people to access it in case of emergency or your death. That doesn't take care of the emergency bank problem, um emergency access problem because of bank hours. But if you insist on doing that, but in general, ah we recommend keeping them at home, preferably in a fireproof safe. If you're a very esteemed client of birch law, you may even get one of our fireproof containers that we give to
00:04:49
Speaker
deserving clients.
Legal Actions Post-Death
00:04:52
Speaker
But yes, it's, you know, sometimes that you will find documents, people will put them in their refrigerator, like their freezer. yeah Have you all heard of this before? Yes. Sam, you have? Why do you think Sam people would put them in a refrigerator? Is that to keep them fresh? yes Yeah, yes. It's like never miss a snack later. No.
00:05:20
Speaker
anyway um They put them in the freezer because it's technically like fireproof. Like if there's a fire, your freezer is... It's a heavily insulated vessel.
Preparing for End-of-Life
00:05:30
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. So that's not so bad. But the point is to make sure that you've made people aware. ah Speaking of Sam and speaking of end of life things, another thing we'd like to tell people is that if somebody has died, you can no longer use their credit card.
00:05:46
Speaker
so Right, Sam? Did we just go through that? Yeah, we did. Can you explain to us, Sam, why? Why is that? Because it's fraud. It's fraud. because So can, if you, ah do you have, are you able to look into our Bring Central channel?
00:06:05
Speaker
I don't even know. Are you on your computer? You must be. yeah like the cameras are So I want you to read for us the statement that I sent to you that says the problem here. And then I want to you to read the chat GPT statement of how we should communicate it to clients. Can you share that?
00:06:22
Speaker
Yes, so credit cards of the deceased are no longer valid. They cannot be used under any circumstances. Even for funerals and final expenses, transactions on these cards can result in fraud. ah Even if you're an authorized user or had permission to use a card before the card member passed away, do not use them to make purchases. Yes.
00:06:45
Speaker
Wow. Great advice. Great advice. ah So Sam, then what I would like you to do is I put into because you're like, what should I tell this person? That was really fun. Thank you for letting me go through that exercise. I was with you. I know I felt you i thought it was so wrong. I was like, am I wrong? I don't know if I'm using the right words. Like, is it fraud? not like It was a whole thing.
00:07:08
Speaker
ah So you asked me how should you communicate this to the potential client? And so I provided you a chat GPT answer. And what is that? Read it now. Don't do the same thing where you like rush through it.
00:07:21
Speaker
Okay. Enunciate and take your time with this. Okay. It's her accent. Whoa.
Using the CYA Organizer
00:07:29
Speaker
Hey there. So about using your late mother's credit card, dot, dot, dot, as much as we'd love to make our transactions feel like a scene out of a ghost movie. Unfortunately, our system isn't set up to handle payments from the body beyond.
00:07:46
Speaker
You know, something about laws and fraud and doing the right thing, dot, dot, dot, bummer, right? Anyway, we're here to help you find a more legally friendly payment options, payment Let us know what works for you. We're not really sending that to a client, right? Absolutely not. Listen, well, sometimes, Lori, I can't tell.
00:08:11
Speaker
this is This is the cathartic versions. It comes out on the podcast, because this is where we say all the things. But yes, so everybody, in case you didn't know, now you know. um Another thing that you should make sure that you're making aware of, and and this is somewhat based on my own experience, but I think that you know you need to factor in like how how you run your household, but alarm codes or passcodes, smartphone passcodes, passwords, whatever it is, your computer passwords, login screens, any sort of gate codes, lock codes, garage codes. like We've got um
00:08:52
Speaker
Two different padlocks because we have two different gates into our home ah Putting that down those those combinations like anything else that would impede access to your home like those are things that we need to make sure that are Available and I alluded to the pets and plants care a little bit more about the former not so much about the latter But sometimes people will be picking Executors or trustees that aren't local or are Out of state even and that's totally fine. FYI there's something we haven't really talked about However, we do recommend that you have a local neighbor or friend that at least has access to your home So there can be some emergency response for if there is something particularly securing an animal I you know, maybe this is just me and Do I have a dead plant behind me? I even have a dead plant behind me. So don't feel as strongly about that. ah People feel differently. I do feel very strongly about pets, though, and we want to keep them alive. Oh, so you rescue Memphis and others. Another thing that really hits people hard if if anybody is listening that has experienced the loss of somebody is ah when you're having to give information for a death certificate, ah even at the funeral home.
00:10:08
Speaker
You know, any given day I could tell you my loved ones birth dates, this, that, and the other, but I'm telling you, you just space out and you forget everything in that moment. So by documenting that, which is what our CYA organizer does is the full name, um, when, you know,
00:10:26
Speaker
How long have you lived in your state? How long have you lived in Texas? Where were you born? What is your citizen citizenship? um Mother's name, father's maiden name, if there's any military service, um your occupation, even even biographical information for you. These are all things that would be very helpful. ah You know, something we did at Bursch Law, now this isn't part of the C.Y. Organizer, which I think it's time to do it again.
00:10:52
Speaker
is I had everybody right there in obituaries. And the point of that wasn't so much to have that ready to go. But it really is an interesting, ah you know, kind of ah a different way to do goal setting. And I kind of take stock of where you've been and what what you'd like to be said about you from a legacy standpoint. But the more that you put that in any sort of funeral burial arrangements, cremation, any of those wishes, if you've made any of those arrangements. um You know, people to contact that, oh my gosh, that's such a horrible thing to have to do when somebody's passed away. There's so many people that you need to notify. I don't think sending text messages or blasting out on social media is like the best way to do it for people who are close to that person.
00:11:42
Speaker
So if you can put together a list and I, you know, again, I can speak very personally to this because we're very close to a significant anniversary for the loss of my stepdad.
00:11:54
Speaker
And um splitting that up, ah but you know, you're going to contact this set of people, you're going to contact this set of people. So the more you can put that in, um the better. You know, where you went to school and you sort of alumni associations. Is that like the critical,
Managing Digital Assets
00:12:09
Speaker
like we got to wind up the business of someone's estate? No, but this is part of who you were. This is part of who you are. This is your your story. And we want to make sure that that people are made aware of that. um For people who might need to know, especially if they're an emergency contact, but not your main person, like who is your executor? Who is your trustee? Who's um your accountant? Your financial planner? Who's your lawyer? you know All that information should really be documented. Where do you have your insurance through?
00:12:39
Speaker
Oh, my gosh, streaming services, um all the different things that you're going to have to call and cancel and and cell phone and and all of those things um are really important to know. And the more you can have it spelled out and just easy access to the information, the easier it's going to be. Another big thing that we talk about is um we talked about we've talked about this, I believe, in a previous episode, what's called digital assets.
00:13:10
Speaker
So, um you know, online accounts, all of that. As much as we can assign people the rights through powers of attorney and trusts and wills to have access, did you all go to Dutch Bros today? I went before work. I went during lunch. And she didn't offer me anything.
00:13:31
Speaker
I just like I'm seeing you all drink Dunge Bros. And I don't know why you do this on days that I work from home. Because you know, when I'm in the office, half the time I offer to pay for all all of it, when you're making those kind of runs. So that's fine. You keep flaunting. Oh, not a sponsor. You keep
00:13:50
Speaker
That's right. We can go next week when Sarah's gone. Oh, yeah. Oh, damn. Sam, let's wait a week after. It's okay, Sam. says and we can Listen, hold on. Sarah's house will be inhabited and properly ah fortified. Sam? I don't know.
00:14:12
Speaker
None of us know the relevancy of that by our faces, but I want to know all of Sarah's favorite places, and that is where we're going to go next week. We just take a trip everywhere. Okay, Potbelly, Canes, Dutch Bros. Not sponsors. What else do we have a QT name for? I'm trying to remember. Sarah does the shows in Wait a minute, Sarah, do you do you like hamburgers? It's across our place. Yeah, you like hamburgers. Next week should be the day that I finally have us like go to Dell's hamburgers, this like really awesome hole in the wall greasy hamburger spot in Richardson. What else can we do to punish Sarah?
00:15:00
Speaker
I think pizza is my favorite food. I could eat that every day. What do you have like a favorite kind? Do you like Chicago pizza? I love Chicago pizza. Okay, so we're going to order Chicago pizza. We'll do that Tuesday because we'll let Jordan get in on the action. Yeah, her mortal enemy. And and it's Yeah, you're mortal enemy. And Sarah, don't worry, we will take pictures of all of this. in texas two Thank you.
00:15:29
Speaker
Okay. Um, anyway, so username's passwords. It's still really good to document that because even though we can put in there that you have your executor trustee power of attorney agent has control over digital assets. Trust me, you are going to confuse people. Uh, Cynthia in a moment is going to talk about more social media and other online, um,
00:15:54
Speaker
options or digital asset type things. But just to make sure we get through this, also really putting together a spreadsheet of what accounts you have, where do you bank, ah bank account numbers, if you have a personal banker, which, okay, Mr. Rockefeller, you have a personal banker. Anyway, but if you do,
00:16:14
Speaker
It's good. It's good to know those things insurance policies retirement um All of that is really really important to make sure that you're documenting any Again, this is something that's beyond any of us at birch law even me ah But you know if you if you own other real estate and like oil interests and all of that Look, I'm telling you as as an attorney who's done probate for nearly 20 years Your family doesn't know They don't know.
Handling Pets and Personal Property
00:16:46
Speaker
They also don't know your actual legal name. So document that if you want to know that, ah but they don't know. So if you inherited some sort of oil interest in New Mexico, document that somewhere. So they have something to go on to try and figure this out. These are all the messes that we untangle. um If there's any business interests, LLCs, pensions, stock sharing,
00:17:12
Speaker
anything like that. um Back to pets, you know, we always ask our clients if they have any special instructions for their pets. Something that, you know, nobody here at Birch Law likes to hear, but technically from a legal standpoint, pets are just considered personal property. They're just chattel. They aren't living beings. Love that word. Chattel.
00:17:35
Speaker
um So you can, without having to make any sort of specific provisions for them in your will or trust, which we will do if so asked, but you can also leave behind instructions or directions. I also have to say something because I learned this the hard way. If you're going to designate in your will who's going to take care of your pets, you might want to make sure that those people know that and they're up for it.
00:18:02
Speaker
I had this happen early on in my practice so where somebody put that into a will and I was so naive. I mean, I was how old are you Sarah and Sam? 27. I was so naive at 2728 when I started my practice.
00:18:21
Speaker
that when someone told me I want this person to get my pets, I just thought maybe they probably asked that person to make those arrangements. When she died, I found out, nope, that was a complete surprise. A complete and utter surprise.
00:18:38
Speaker
Also, location of important paperwork. There's so much stuff that people are going to have to find, whether it's birth certificates, marriage certificates, pre- or post-marital agreements, divorce decrees, separation agreements, military records, ah social security card, medical records, um tax records,
Listing Personal Effects
00:18:58
Speaker
life insurance, stocks, bonds, right? Sarah, you got your all your stocks, bonds listed? Oh, yeah.
00:19:04
Speaker
Okay, mortgage information, deeds, leases, um bank records. I mean, just all of this stuff is really important. Sounds like a total pain in the butt, but guess what? Why don't you do this rather than making your family do it when you've dropped dead? I mean, come on, get it together.
00:19:21
Speaker
ah One thing that someone mentioned to me one time is magazine subscriptions. I'm not really sure that that's a thing anymore because I can't seem to ah not have magazine subscriptions. They just like sign you up and then you start getting it, but I'm not paying for it. So I really don't care about it being canceled.
00:19:38
Speaker
but any sort of memberships or things that you have, you're going to list those so people know to cancel them from gym memberships, my goodness, and they'll probably need a death certificate or the actual body but count to to cancel that. um And then also special instructions we recommend. Again, when it comes to personal property, so that means something that doesn't have a legal title, like a home, a car, a bank account, you can leave specific, guy like, where do you want your stuff to go?
00:20:07
Speaker
your piano your TV your Elvis collection like all of that maybe list that out kind of help a little bit because the last thing you really should do for for most people is list that sort of thing in your will or trust because the minute you want to change that add to it you're going to have to re-execute this document, which is going to take time and money. So this is a great thing. So that's like a big, big splash overview of a tool that we give to our clients, but through our CYA plan, which stands for what, Sarah? Cover your assets.
00:20:42
Speaker
that's
00:20:44
Speaker
Okay. Say it one more time. ah Cover your assets. Why'd you say it like that? I don't know. What are you trying to say? Anyway, that we, through our CYA plan, we do a little bit more handholding and accountability, like, have you done this? Have you done this? Have you done this? Have you done this? oh But yeah, so that's the kind of information. I want to talk about ways to document this and other resources that are out there beyond what we provide to people. but
00:21:16
Speaker
Cynthia has some special information for you when it comes to things like um your smartphones and social media and all of that. So, Cynthia, take it away. Oh, thank you. So. Going to start off with Amazon bereavement support. They're very nice at the beginning of this, um so.
00:21:43
Speaker
FYI, whenever you die, everybody has a million accounts to everything and you need somebody to shut them down or notify the powers that be that, hey, this person is no longer with us. And I appreciate about Amazon is we're very sorry for your loss. When a loved one or a close relative passes away, our support team is here to help. I'm pretty sure it's not going to be that easy, but
Digital Accounts Management
00:22:08
Speaker
you know, it's fine. It's fine. So reading through this, um, apparently for Amazon,
00:22:14
Speaker
You need, i mean let me list ah the number of things that you need in order to to go forward and and see how let's see how everybody feels about this. Okay, so you need to copy the death certificate. Pretty strict simple, straightforward to obtain, yes?
00:22:32
Speaker
Okay, cool. In Dallas, that may take- Unless you died under suspicious circumstances. Yeah, that can take longer, but typically about three weeks, I think, about Dallas County. um You need a valid photographic ID for the named authorized person listed on any sort of letters of authorization.
00:22:56
Speaker
So you need it for a photographic ID, you need an official certified document showing that you are the authorized person to access the account. So Lori, whenever you see that, what does that make you think?
00:23:11
Speaker
The authorized person to access an account? Yeah, you are the, you need a copy of the official certified documentation showing that you are authorized person. Who would have that?
00:23:25
Speaker
Who is that? Who would be that person? Typically, it's if you've gone through probate for the individual. Yeah, that's like the cart before the horse. Yeah. um But again, this is is what you need. And then lastly, you need to have... That's why you should just list your own usernames and passwords.
00:23:47
Speaker
Yeah, ah one of the other things on here um is, um let's see, where is it? If you have access to the email address associated with the Amazon account, you can just sign into and proceed with your request. There it is. Is that fraud, Sam? Only if you buy something on it. Yeah. Sarah?
00:24:12
Speaker
Good job. Yeah. They said that they will ask you, you know, for certain things, but I'm pretty sure they're going to ask you for that list of things I've listed. So, yeah Amazon. Wow. Now you know, the more you know. Now you know. um I was really surprised to actually find bereavement support as an article title for Amazon. That's pretty impressive, actually. Yeah. Yeah. That's what I thought. Okay, so let's move on to meta Facebook, what are we calling it? Because. And if you log into it, it says meta, but all of their help stuff still has Facebook. oh So would this be the same for Instagram, then? Oh, like you YouTube. Well, YouTube is Google. It's a little different. So hold on. and First off.
00:25:00
Speaker
Facebook, um it just goes right into it. Like, hey, choosing your legacy contact is currently only available for your main profile. It doesn't apply to any additional Facebook profiles. So I'm assuming that's going to go along the lines of some business stuff, things like that. But, you know, there's a place to start. And then it defines a legacy contact. It's someone you choose to look after your main profile if a Look after your main profile. If it's memorialized after you pass away. Ah. Yeah. Memorialized? If it's memorialized after you pass away. um Give me a second on that one, Sarah. We'll get there. um What your legacy contact can do. They can write a pinned post from your profile um to share a final message on your behalf or provide information about a memorial service.
00:26:01
Speaker
son And can't you turn your Facebook into like a memorial page? I'm getting there. Okay. Can I just say something right now? Fine. Please don't do that. we can stop you Shut it down. Do I want people like every year like posting shit there? Like, please don't. I mean, I totally respect people who want that and and really, it should be more about the people who are left behind, whatever they need to do to grieve, heal, memorialize. But if if my opinion matters at all, I really don't want that for me. Just just name like a street or a planet or a library after me. That'll do.
00:26:48
Speaker
Can I move on? Okay, great. So another thing your legacy contact can do is update your profile picture and cover photo. I'm sorry, but once you have. did Do not do this.
00:27:02
Speaker
yeah what
00:27:07
Speaker
They can ah request removal of your account. So yes, we're doing for Lori. Please do that. And then ah you can download a copy of what you've shared on Facebook. If you have this feature turned off.
00:27:22
Speaker
We may add more capabilities for legacy contacts in the future. Okay. Maybe. Maybe we'll see. Yeah, maybe. Um, your legacy contact can't C A N Gosh, if you D log into your account, read your messages, remove any of your friends or make new friend requests.
00:27:45
Speaker
So now that I would want, I would want like a bunch of friend requests set out for me. That is what I would want to happen. Send them out to your worst enemy. Like to all my exes or people who've wronged me. I'd say people who don't like me, but there is no such group of people. So that's what I would want. I'll provide a list. Let me add that to the CY organizer.
00:28:16
Speaker
this Okay, so memorialized profiles. I just love the copy for this memorialized profiles are a place for friends and family to gather and share memories after a person has passed away. Memorialized profiles have the following key features. and The word remembering will be shown next to the person's name on their profile. Please, please don't let this happen to me.
00:28:43
Speaker
Depending on the privacy settings of the profile, friends can share memories on the memorialized timeline. and Contents the person shared, for example, photo, a different post, stay on Facebook and are visible on Facebook to the audience that it was shared with. So it's not like I can go in and be like, oh no, share everything.
00:29:06
Speaker
or more or less profiles don't appear on suggestions for people you may know, ads or birthday reminders. You know what, though? I feel like the people you may know may be a good one. Like that way, you know, like you get like remembering. Can I can I just say, like, if you're going to keep my Facebook going, I want my profile change to a barbecue pit. Why? Because I'm gonna be cremated. Okay. Cool.
00:29:36
Speaker
Am I the one who knew that? like I got it, but I wanted confirmation. that's right listen if I can get a list of suggested people and it says remembering next to them so I know they've passed away I would not be bothered I would prefer that it is so so for people who don't do that though and I don't I don't know if anybody's in this category but I have many many times maxed out on the number of phones that you can have on Facebook well let me do air quotes air quotes friends um it's 5,000 by the way and so when I need to make space I
00:30:10
Speaker
I am friends with some people who passed away and I feel very weird about unfriending them, but like, what do you do? And does, if they change it to a remembering page, does that count against your friend count? Listen, I did not. Ask no one ever, let's move on.
00:30:35
Speaker
Okay, next. edit for time. Insert commercial here. You can do is you can choose to have your account permanently deleted. Should you pass away? This has whether one lets us know that you've passed away a year legacy contact. All of your messages, photos, posts, comments, reactions, and info will be immediately and permanently removed from Facebook. Yes. Okay. I got some good pictures there, but I'm sure Kimberly has all of them. And anything I would post would but also be on my,
00:31:07
Speaker
um Okay, so going on to Instagram, something that Instagram has, that Facebook doesn't, we're sorry to hear about your loss, and we're working to make sure your report gets reviewed. Please note that we have ah fewer people available to review reports because of the coronavirus-19 pandemic, which means it may take us additional time to memorialize or delete the account you requested. We apologize.
00:31:39
Speaker
I think they forgot that page existed. Instagram is owned by meta, but we apologize and want to send our condolences for your loss. But yeah, theirs has not been updated in a hot second. Well, I mean, this one just signing procedures still tell people they can wear a mask.
00:32:02
Speaker
I mean, they can, though.
Setting Legacy Contacts
00:32:04
Speaker
It happens is what I'm saying. Well, that's another piece. I feel like now more people are open to wearing face masks, just in general, when they're sick, as opposed to before, which quite frankly, I'm about like, I'm sick. I don't want to get my germs everywhere. I'm going to the doctor. but I'm sick. like I'm wearing a mask. I feel the opposite. I don't care about spreading my germs now, but I wouldn't mind. I wouldn't mind if people will prevent theirs getting to me. You can also do that by you wearing a mask.
00:32:35
Speaker
yeah are fair it Oh, good. You're choking on your bros. Carla. Oh my God. That's so hard not to. Is that Cynthia's cup? where's drinking from Oh, okay. That's right. um um All right. What's next? Okay,
00:32:58
Speaker
storm but the same thing with Instagram, you can memorialize accounts. So yay. Okay, then we're going to move on to TikTok. No, you just can't. No. Okay. Everything that I've found is no, you can't. Also, whenever you're trying to research TikTok legacy contact information or things like that, I just need you to know that all that comes up is
00:33:34
Speaker
results for on TikTok on how to create legacy context for other platforms. So it was a little misleading every now and then. It's like, oh, hey, no, nope, that's for Facebook. Nope, that's for your iPhone, which brings us to the next one for your iPhone.
00:33:54
Speaker
Make sure that on your phone, in your settings, there's a way to set a legacy contact. That is um a way that you can have somebody predetermined. It'll have their contact added. It'll have like number, name, email addresses, what have you, because Google is not Google. Apple is very good at locking it down. If you've passed in that way, like other people can't like just get an order or order to access your phone. So they've been pretty good at making sure like that privacy is kept. So you need to designate a um legacy contact, or like Lori says, just make sure your kid has your same face and they can unlock it.
Transferring Gaming Accounts
00:34:36
Speaker
Okay. Next we have... That's true. Yeah. She's able to do it before, hasn't she?
00:34:45
Speaker
I mean, I don't know, but I think when she's my, like when she gets to adulthood, she, ah she's probably going to be able to do that. So next is how to contact Twitter about a deceased family members account, her fuse to call it another thing. So for this one is you can request the removal of a deceased account user after you submit a request.
00:35:10
Speaker
So this is very much so like you just have to email them and you have to like go through this process. You're gonna need documentation, copy of the death certificate, a copy of your photo ID, information of the deceased.
00:35:23
Speaker
for So, you know, good luck with that. And then the other part is incapacitated users. So there is a whole process to remove the account of an incapacitated user. Now, how do I put this still?
00:35:40
Speaker
It does not define what an incapacitated user is, or how to determine that. so So... It's fine. I'm just saying. I'm just saying, we're not sure what that means. Okay. But you you can do it.
00:36:04
Speaker
And then one that I know Lori is going to roll her eyes about. I know there's a lot of people out there who have Steam accounts, who have other digital gaming why acquisition accounts. Just go with it. It'll matter to somebody. Steam, as of right now, they do not have a way to set up any kind of legacy contacts. They don't have any way to transfer um games on your account to other profiles whenever you pass away. So, you know, good luck with that. However, there are other places like um if you use GOG, if you use, I forget the name of the other one. What the hell are you talking about? You get the actual token, so you own it, so that way you have it and you can pass it on.
00:36:51
Speaker
So this is something that was actually a pretty big deal a couple months ago with Steam. But as of right now, I can't find anything to where they've said that they've updated that policy or that they're working on it. However, something interesting. I did find a post from several years ago where they're talking about that Valve, which is the owner of Steam, has implied that in the unlikely event of their collapse, they'll unlock the content.
00:37:21
Speaker
for What the hell is Steam?
00:37:26
Speaker
um It's essentially think of it as a place where like you know how Amazon you buy a lot of movies digitally
00:37:37
Speaker
Yeah, a lot of people do. It's essentially for games though, but games are cost a lot more than movies. So brand new releases, like people dropped $60 plus on things. If you're ah somebody that's into and MMOs,
00:37:52
Speaker
that's something that you can also do through Steam. So, essentially, a lot of people have sunk a ton of money into this, and they're like, well, what happens whenever I die? So, hopefully, they go with the unlocking content. I'm surprised they don't have something. I'm not. I'm not surprised. Are you kidding me? You can spend so much money there. Like, it's kind of bonkers. And, like, the same with EA, yeah and there's like, sorry, everything.
00:38:19
Speaker
Well, origin is ah the app. Origin is now no longer. It's now just. Oh, I didn't know that. I haven't played Sims in a hot minute. Yeah. Oh, no matter to somebody. All right.
00:38:35
Speaker
Good. Like how Sarah is just like bouncing to herself, like going to the beat of her own drum. That is excellent information. Thank you, Cynthia. Does that conclude your presentation?
00:38:48
Speaker
I mean, it's going to now. Damn. Okay. All right. Um, I, my biggest thing, I don't feel this way so much anymore, but I remember when Adley, my first born, um, the first few months here for life, I did have to tell Kimberly, like
Updating Estate Plans
00:39:07
Speaker
if something happens to me, I need you to delete my search history because people will think I have no idea how to take care of a baby.
00:39:15
Speaker
oh so many things that i would agree did you ah the is You know, like, are they supposed to do this? What do you do in this situation? It's like I I really, really need my search history deleted because people will be very concerned. Don't tell CPS ah the things that I ask. But OK, good. So in collecting all this information and gathering all this information, there's a lot of different resources ah that are available. None of them are sponsors of this podcast, but they could be. Anyway,
00:39:52
Speaker
One online source that I'm personally a member of, and we've talked to them about offering to clients, which we haven't yet, and I'm going to explain why. It's super, super cool. They're always upgrading it. It's called trustworthy dot.com.
00:40:07
Speaker
And it's a place where it's like this digital vault where you can upload everything ah from passports to driver's license to all the stuff that you go back, ah rewind this 10 minutes, 20 minutes, I don't know, four hours. How long have we been talking? ah And all that stuff in the COA organizer and and so much more.
00:40:28
Speaker
I, I think it's really cool conceptually. And I do think that if you're up for it, do it. One of the reasons that we haven't officially offered this to clients and introduced it is because I myself in the two years that I've been a member have not completely uploaded all this stuff. And if I'm not going to do it, then I know that 99.99% of people are not going to do it. So I'm still kind of toying with that, but I do want to make people aware that things like that are out there and then they have, I know there's other sites. I think this one is super cool. Like it really does have a lot of stuff. Um, and then there's all, all these ways that you could notify people.
00:41:13
Speaker
to have access to it and all of that. And then there's a couple planners that I've seen um that collect a lot of this information and more, like one of my favorites, some of my favorites I mean, is this one, you can get it on Amazon, not a sponsor or other places. Sorry, it's your problem now because I'm dead.
00:41:36
Speaker
um There's another one, I'm dead, now what?
00:41:42
Speaker
It's not bad. It's not bad. And then, you know, we're about to have a sequel come out of a classic movie from my childhood. And this isn't as much for people who have passed, but for the people who've passed on the handbook for their recently deceased.
00:42:00
Speaker
And I've actually thought about should we do a handbook for the family of of recently deceased? But anyway, lots of stuff out there, lots of resources. I think the biggest thing and it's the number one thing that we encounter just doing this planning in the first place is people have to do it. People have to fill it out. People have to complete it and then ah they got to keep it updated. But You know, I think as much of this, maybe not 100% of it, but as much as you can put together and collect, you're going to make things so much easier for your family and loved ones. Not if, not if, not if, not if, but when time
Humorous Afterlife Planning
00:42:41
Speaker
comes. So really want to encourage everybody to look at those resources.
00:42:44
Speaker
um Before we get to the ridiculousness of the Sam and Sarah ah segment, which I haven't really looked at their notes, so I really don't know what's coming. Any other thoughts that are actually more relevant to the topic or are we good?
00:43:00
Speaker
You have to edit out your dramatic thoughts. That was Sarah breathing into the mic heavily. I think this was good. OK, so then with that said, um Sam and Sarah, what do you plan for us? I. I'm not looking at the list, I don't know what's about to happen. ah Yes, so it's a list of um things you need to do after you have passed on.
00:43:26
Speaker
Oh yeah that you have to do once you've passed on but you're passed on you or others you'll see them so okay all right let's just recordify let's do this okay okay but ah so you need to have somebody delete your socials memorialize them Yeah, you need to have some or actually, you need to plan your funeral before you die. And my sister has done that. She has the playlist, she has how her body is going to be presented. It's not what you would think she wants to ah fly through the room. This isn't a joke, by the way, she wants to um fly through the room.
00:44:05
Speaker
Uh, she wants to, you know, she has a, who does what? Oh, I don't know. Can we come in? This isn't it. I mean, in style, like she wants to be like her body. Yes. This isn't a good. She has told me this many times. All right. She has playlist. Who's doing what? Everything. Just plan it. Makes everything so much easier. I actually don't remember what my title is in her funeral, but. And you have one. Yeah, I do have one.
00:44:35
Speaker
It's a plan. Have someone erase all evidence of that secret box that you have?
00:44:46
Speaker
um I like this one just because it's it's it's fun. You need to add a fun tombstone message like, I told you I was sick or something like that. So you have to be on the grave.
00:45:00
Speaker
Uh, if you're being, you know, there's, way wait, wait, wait, I have to tell you a story. So when I was single and my sister was single, I have 5 million brothers, but only one sister. And my mom, my sister and I would go on girls trips and they were usually road trips. And I hope my sister's not bad at me, but I'm certain she doesn't listen to our, listen to our podcast. So I'm not worried about it, but she used to smoke. She, she doesn't smoke anymore. But because of that, my mom would always make her sit in the back seat.
00:45:28
Speaker
And when we'd stop for a break, and if she had to smoke, my mom make her run around the car to kind of air out before she could get in the back. But anyway, where I don't know how other people road trip, but we would always do a lot of snacks. And so my sister would keep all the snacks in the back. And She would say this, they like, she started saying this, they like, there's still food left. And hey, anybody want to snack? There's still food left. So we started joking that that's what's going to be on her. There's still food left. I like that. I have not thought about that in probably 10 years until you brought good ah make it make this an outtake Sarah because I want to share it with her.
00:46:14
Speaker
okay Okay, the next one. If you're being buried, pick a plot by some nice flowers or like on a hill, so you have a view. I think the cemetery is going to be in charge of that, but all right. Yeah. Well, you can like buy plots, right? Like in a specific, you just gotta plan for the second movie or yes. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
00:46:39
Speaker
So when you're beyond, um we we think it'd be fun if you dress up on Halloween. We obviously recommend as a ghost. Sorry, cowboy ghost misread that. A cowboy raccoon ghost for Sarah. Yeah. Yeah. So you're you're telling me that once i I am no longer with us, yeah, I need to dress up as a ghost. Yeah, you should let's celebrate Halloween. The fun time.
00:47:06
Speaker
I feel like there's some more conspiracy theories we need to explore here, but keep going. It's about to get worse. ah Learn some fun ghost tricks, like slamming doors, slamming cabinets, knocking things off the table, looking at some lights, you know? i If I were a ghost, I think would i would I'd do something so much so much more subtle than that. I think like I'd take, let's say, a couch and move it an inch every day.
00:47:34
Speaker
That's what Luke does in real life. And just see how long it takes. Yeah, that's a good one. I like that one. just so funny um This one's obvious, but avoid. Sorry, they just get worse and worse. This one, just avoid the Ghostbusters. If you're a ghost. yeah those yeah Brilliant. oh Thank you. I'll employ these people, everybody.
00:47:59
Speaker
and Be annoying enough as a ghost so that Zach Baggins of Ghost Adventures fame um wants to try capture evidence that you are in fact a ghost. I'm sorry, who? Zach Baggins. Who is that? Baggin what?
00:48:14
Speaker
such but There's a ghost show called Ghost Adventures, which has gone for many years. um I don't know. I think it's like on sci-fi or something. um And they go around to like famous haunted places and try to get evidence.
00:48:31
Speaker
He has a hole in Las Vegas. He has like a haunted like attraction that has like things. I don't think he has the end of hotel, but like stuff like that, like a famous. I don't want to go on a whole tangent. So this might have to be something that we do a future or future episode about, but I wouldn't mind talking a little bit about ghost tours that you can take. in certain locations. That's fun. And all I'm going to say right now is in case in case we don't do a subsequent episode on this, if you're ever in Key West, make sure you take a ghost tour and find out about Robert the doll, the origins of the movie child's play. I think for Halloween, we should do the portable podcast and we go through. No, thank you. Oh, intriguing.
00:49:18
Speaker
intriguing. Okay. i think that read what that high Let's put a pin on that. Pin in that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Next. um So don't forget to haunt all of your favorite people regularly. So they cannot forget about you, but also do not forget to haunt all of your sworn enemies. So they also cannot forget about you. Yeah. to sleep put an eye open and So a quick question, when you say don't forget to haunt your favorite people, yeah like what am I doing to like you versus someone I don't like?
00:49:53
Speaker
I feel like you'd be more like aggressive to the people you don't like, right? Like smashing more of their stuff. To people you like, you're moving the couch an inch. I know. ah in time out as he is and just like go yes It's the same. right See, but it's lightly, it's not a aggressive. No. People you like, you're walking by them and like tossing their hair. People you don't like, you cut their breaks.
00:50:24
Speaker
Or that.
00:50:29
Speaker
Sarah, I'm going to move everything in your place with my diaphragm. Please edit that out. I can't believe this good. This is what happens when we record on Fridays instead of the usual Wednesdays. We're just, we're in a silly goofy mood. Okay. And the last one, and I put this last cause I know you're going to have questions.
00:50:53
Speaker
Cremate yourself so you're not a mindless body or skeleton um in the skeleton war. In the skeleton what? The skeleton war. Is there going to be a war? Technically it's ongoing. Hold on, I heard the skeleton ward. Ward. But no ward. Is this like in an alternate dimension? No, this is your honor.
00:51:18
Speaker
this is like like an antibody snatchers anti like revivification it it started on it started on tumblr in 2014 originally it was just so that way you could find like fun halloween skeleton gifts um it was just an easy way to do it but now it's got its own more like people will take pictures of like skeletons during Halloween like the fake ones um and be like on the on their way to battle for the skeleton war and you know like and then that so that way if your body gets reanimated you're not part of the skeleton wars
00:51:55
Speaker
I've never heard of this animated. Yeah, like if you're in the ground in a coffin, you're kind of under there. Have you all ever had to dig your way out of something?
Conclusion and Engagement Encouragement
00:52:04
Speaker
Listen, it's not like they've got like, literally, I don't have one like like to dig myself out of this podcast episode right now. Hold on, actually, everybody on this podcast has had to dig themselves out something. Looking at you to Sarah Sam.
00:52:24
Speaker
Again, I don't know if you mean figuratively or literally. Both. Literally. Literally. Like if someone someone buries you like. and doesn't a whole be like it increase At the beach. Yeah. And they bury you in sand. Yeah. Should do that twice. I can see. All right. I'm still going to say no. It's not that easy to get yourself out. How's that list?
00:52:51
Speaker
Listen, I can take Sam out with a weighted blanket. really be I mean a weighted one, just give me a fluffy one and I'm stuck. Okay, great. Is there anything else that you all have to add? What, Sarah? Oh, oh she's mute. You're muted. How did I get muted? That was it.
00:53:18
Speaker
deliver Great, so those are a lot of things for you all to think about to prepare family and loved ones for an easy transition. And then I suppose maybe potentially some tips for yourself when you have made it to the great beyond.
00:53:40
Speaker
Thanks for listening. And just to cover all our bases about what you just heard, I'm sorry and you're welcome. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode and tell your friends about us. We do webinars and live events.
00:53:56
Speaker
The best way to stay up to date is to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Links are in the show notes. If there's a topic you'd like us to cover, maybe you have a question you'd like us to answer, or maybe you just wanna say hi, hit the link in the show notes or go to birch-law.com forward slash podcast and fill out the contact form.
00:54:26
Speaker
much better. Yeah I thought that had a lot of energy.