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Your Digital Afterlife

services@supportingadvancement.com — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Not looking to present a grim view here, neither morbid, but do you have a will? Statistics show that many of us don’t – in fact at least half of us. Statistics suggest that as much as 65% of us don’t. Whether we do or not, it’s probably unlikely that we’ve considered what will happen with our digital assets. The idea of planning for the digital afterlife doesn’t seem to have caught on yet – much like conventional estate planning hasn’t. We don’t like to consider mortality.

What do you want your Facebook profile to say about you? Do you want your Twitter account left behind? It gets a lot more complicated if you have domain names, a web site and other online assets such as a storefront where you may be earning an income. Like most aspects of creativity – and life, digital storage and the online world is fraught with legalities and other pitfalls (think about how many different passwords you have) and the transference of all this over even when we’re capable and able is challenging.

Just try to navigate through the use policies of Facebook, Yahoo, Google and any number of the more established web properties. It’s challenging to understand the legal ramifications of trying to get access to accounts through customer service models that are primarily serviced via email.

If you’ve ever done probating for an estate, it can be challenging enough to find out about unpaid accounts so that the distribution from an estate is done correctly. Again, if you have an online business or other substantial online assets the exercise can become much more complicated. Legislation and case law are typically following what’s happening online and it often takes a long time before laws work well with some of the practical realities out there.

How should we protect ourselves? What’s the insurance we need to purchase? How can we automatically inform or let others know? How do we ensure that the appropriate people have access to our online assets? How do we ensure that our online income stream stays in place for our beneficiaries without disruption?

For many of us, the online piece has replaced photo albums, letter writing as a communication vehicle, and much more. Our history and heritage is quickly moving online. What do we do to pass this down? How do you divide up your digital music that’s stored in the cloud?

Some basic first steps – and note that these two simple steps are not just for estate planning, but should be considered as a standard best practice:

• Keep track of all of your online passwords and access. Make sure a trusted individual has access to these. (Don’t put them in a will which is a public document.)

• If you have registered domain names, have some instructions somewhere to ensure that they can be renewed or sold.

Down the road, our focus on our digital assets will become much more commonplace. It will likely take a couple of generations, a large degree of legal wrangling, there will be a few appeals and over time this will lead to a more conscientious approach to how we manage our online assets and put the appropriate life insurance policies in place.

Like wills and estate planning, it can be challenging to consider mortality, but think about the emotions and time of others and what they’ll need to go through to sort it all out. I’ve done some estate probates and it’s not fun even if everything is organized well.

Protect yourself now – and those that are important to you. Invest some time.

Some Digital Afterlife Links of Interest

There are a number of companies that provide online services to help you with this and this short list can provide you with a starting point to compare services and prices.

Death Switch
http://deathswitch.com/

The Digital Beyond
http://www.thedigitalbeyond.com/

Legacy Locker
http://legacylocker.com/

SecureSafe
http://www.securesafe.com/

Note: Not an endorsement of any one of these or others that might be out there, you need to do your own in-depth research – but this may help you get started.

	$1 million +	$250,000 - $999,999	$25,000 - $249,999
January	9	9	3
February	12	7	10
March	21	7	13
April	9	11	17
May	16	7	17

USA Major Gifts December 2010
Billings, Montana - Swiss born Hansjorg Wyss, who now resides in Philadelphia, closed an agreement to preserve over 1,000 acres of pristine timber land in Montana Wyss' largest single gift was a $125 million donation two years ago to create a bio-engineering institute at Harvard	$31 million
Detroit, Michigan - General Motors Foundation donation to the United Way for Southeastern Michigan to create Networks of Excellence from five existing area high schools	$27.1 million
Pullman, Washington - The the Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health and the building will be named the Paul G. Allen Center for Global Animal Health at Washington State University for Allen's gift	$26 million
Indianapolis, Indiana - Ivy Tech Foundation received a grant from Lilly Endowment for the purchase and renovation of the former Stouffer’s Hotel that is north of the main campus The grant is the largest gift / grant in its history	$22.9 million
San Antonio, Texas - The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts named earlier this year for a $15 million gift from the Tobin Endowment AT&T made a gift of $5 million to the facility in June of 2010 (not included in previous reports) and in December of this year local philanthropist B.J. “Red” McCombs made a gift on behalf of he and his family of $1 million	$21 million
Chicago, Illinois - The William Eckhardt Research Center at the University of Chicago was named for his gift to establish the center for the study of the deepest cosmic mysteries to manipulations of matter on the scale of atoms and molecules	$20 million
New York - Goldman Sachs announced support for The Mission, a program to help returning war veterans through a network of services	$20 million
Durham, North Carolina - Duke University Children’s Hospital received an estate gift from Dr. Glenn and Muriel Kiser to support the pediatric unit of the hospital with three endowed professorships and establishing the the Kiser Scholars Program	$17.2 million
West Orange, New Jersey - A challenge donation made by Daniel Och and his wife Jane to a Jewish school in the city that was recognized with the naming of the Golda Och Academy, a Solomon Schechter School	$15 million
Winter Park, Florida - Rollins College received a grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation to construct the Alfond Inn and establish the Alfond Scholars program	$12.5 million
San Antonio, Texas - The Sandra & Stanley Rosenberg School of Optometry was named at the University of the Incarnate Word in recognition of their gift, the largest in school history	$11.5 million
Minneapolis, Minnesota - A grant from the the Bentson Foundation to endow a chair position for a doctor at the Nasseff Neuroscience Center at the United Hospital Foundation with an inital grant of $3 million and $7 million to follow over the next several years for neuroscience research and treatment	$10 million
South Bend, Indiana - University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business recieved a gift from Kenneth R. Meyer to fund annual fellowships for MBA students	$10 million
Houston, Texas - The Methodist Transplant Center received a memorial gift from Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III, and his sister, Carole Walter Looke to establish an endowed fund to support the hospital’s multiorgan transplant program	$10 million
New Britain, Connecticut - The University of Central Connecticut named the Susan Ammon School of Arts and Sciences in recognition of her recent gift	$8 million
Portland, Oregon - The Donald P. Shiley School of Engineering was named at the University of Portland in recognition of the support from Donald who passed away and his wife Darlene, in 2007 they donated $12 million to the university for a combined $20 million in gifts to the engineering school	$8 million
Denver, Colorado - The Community First Foundation’s first-ever Colorado Gives Day received pledges from across the state in a one day event, gift range was $10 to $500,000	$8 million
Palo Alto, California - Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy & Finance named at Stanford to study and advance the development and deployment of clean energy technologies, from alumni Thomas Steyer and his wife, Kat Taylor	$7 million
Fort Wayne, Indiana - Four Manchester College trustees are donating a combined $5.5 million gift to the college with Two thirds of the gifts are estate designations	$5.5 million
Dallas, Texas - University of Texas at Dallas received a gift from an anonymous donor to create endowed positions for research faculty in the School of Arts and Humanities, largest gift ever to the school	$5 million
Detroit, Michigan - Automotive supplier Lear Corp. pledge over 10 years for community projects and infrastructure work in Detroit	$5 million
Lowell, Massachusetts - A donation from entrepreneur and philanthropist Gururaj "Desh" Deshpande to establish the Merrimack Valley Sandbox, will provide funding to build the Merrimack Valley Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at UMass Lowell	$5 million
Palm Beach, Florida - Palm Beach Atlantic University received a gift from the Marshall & Vera Lea Rinker Foundation to build an athletic complex that will be named for them in recognition of their gift	$4 million
St. Louis, Missouri - The Roger Mudd Center for the Study of Professional Ethics was named at Washington & Lee University in recognition of his gift	$4 million
Detroit, Michigan - Beaumont Hospitals has received a gift from local philanthropists Wayne and Joan Webber and named the Wayne & Joan Webber Imaging Center for their donation	$4 million
Syracuse, New York - A gift from alum John Reilly and his wife Patty to Syracuse University for a day care centre at the university, named in memory of their child John David Reilly IV who died at an early age	$3.5 million
Rochester, New York - Rochester Institute of Technology received a grant from the Gleason Family Foundation in support of chemical and biomedical engineering programs	$3 million
Bozeman, Montana - The College of Business at Montana State University received a gift from Denver based Jake Jabs and renamed the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship to recognize his gift	$3 million
San Diego, California - University of San Diego named the Harpst Center for Catholic Thought & Culture in recognition of an estate gift from Frances Harpst	$3 million
Gainesville, Florida - Coca Cola and Cutrale Citrus Juices made a grant of $1.5 million each to the University of Florida to support research into citrus plants	$3 million
North Andover, Massachusetts - An estate gift from Irene Hunter will create an endowed fund for dance and increase the number of dance performances at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art	$3 million
Denver, Colorado - The University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law has established an international business law program thanks to a gift from Robert W. Roche, a 1988 alum and the Roche Family Foundation	$3 million
Washington, D.C. - Exxon Mobile 2010 Employees' Favorite Charities Campaign donated these funds to DC charities	$2.8 million
Atlanta, Georgia - A gift from James “Jim” Cox Kennedy, chairman of Cox Enterprises, will establish four professorships in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication	$2 million
Stuart, Florida - David L. Smythe made his third gift of $2 million in the past three years to the Martin Memorial Foundation that will benefit children’s services at the health system	$2 million
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Marquette Univesity Eckstein Law School named the Sheldon B. Lubar Fund for Public Policy at the Law School in recognition of his recent gift	$2 million
Jamestown, North Dakota - Daniel Kornovich left an estate gift to the new Jamestown Regional Medical Center foundation, recognized with the naming of a healing garden	$1.6 million
Tuskegee, Alabama - The Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine was designated as a beneficiary in a planned gift from alumni Dr. Matthew and Roberta Jenkins	$1.6 million
Fort Belvoir, Virginia - The National Museum of the United States Army received its first gift of $1 million from individual donors for the current campaign from Mr. and Mrs. Preston C. Caruthers	$1 million
Seattle, Washington - The Providence O’Christmas Trees’ annual fundraising efforts concluded with an event at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle, in support of healthcare, housing and hospice provided by Providence Health & Service’s Senior and Community Services A christmas tree decorated with 1,000 toys was auctioned off for $50,000 at the gala dinner	$1 million
New York, New York - The Fred Ebb Foundation made a gift to Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS campaign	$1 million
St. Louis, Missouri - Webster University alumna Jane Robert and her husband, Bruce, made a gift to establish the Jane and Bruce Robert Professorship in French and Francophone Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences	$1 million
Stuart, Florida - Martin Memorial Health Systems named the Jack and Laura Forde Emergency Department in recogniton of ther recent donation	$1 million
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - A private gift from John and Gertrude Petersen towards the $29-million Olympic sports complex at the University of Pittsburgh, an on-campus facility for baseball, softball and soccer programs, recognized with the naming of the facility as the Petersen Event Center	Private Gift

CANADIAN Major Gifts December 2010
Ottawa, Ontario - The United Way of Ottawa exceeded 2009 by raising $1.7 million more in this year's campaign	$33.4 million
Calgary, Alberta - A gift from Don Taylor, president of Engineerd Air, and his son David, to Mount Royal University to help build a new conservatory to be named The Bella Concert Hall on campus	$20 million
Vancouver, British Columbia - The Univesity of British Columbia announced a nine year research initiative with the support of Nippon Foundation of Japan to study world's oceans and to monitor the impact of human activities on seafood	$13 million
Edmonton, Alberta - Edwin and Ruth Mattheis are donating their entire ranch, 4,980 hectares, to the University of Alberta, this is the largest gift of land ever given to a Canadian university	$12 million
Vancouver, British Columbia - Joe and Rosalie Segal gift to the UBC - Vancouver General Hospital campaign for GF Strong Rehab Centre towards the construction of a new mental health facility	$12 million
Toronto, Ontario - The BMO Employees contributed in excess of $10 million to United Way campaigns this year In Vancouver, BC, BMO Employees raise a record $1.15 million towards the United Way of the Lower Mainland fundraising drive through employee payroll pledges, fundraisers in branches and generous donations from BMO customers BMO Financial Group also contributed $55 million in corporate donations, sponsorships and events in Canada and the United States in 2009	$10 million +
Toronto, Ontario - The Dr. Eric Jackman Institute for Child Study was named at the University of Toronto in recognition of his recent gift that will allow the lab school to double in size	$5 million
Oshawa / Barrie, Ontario - A five year pledge from Ontario Power Generation split between Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, this follows a $10 million grant from 2005 to 2010 to the two schools, funds to expand buildings and programs	$5 million
Oakville, Ontario - The Birmingham Cancer and Medical Day Care Clinic will be named on December 16th this year to recognized the gift from Betty Birmingham and her late husband Bruce to Oakville Hospital	$3.5 million
Toronto, Ontario - President's Choice Children's Charity donation to Breakfast for Learning to fund 5,000 programs across Canada	$2.6 million
Kamloops, British Columbia - Kamloops United Way set a new record with this year's fundraising campaign reaching a new high thanks to the improving economy in the region	$1.8 million
Sarnia, Ontario - The Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery was named in recognition of their gift to support the local venue	$1.5 million
London, Ontario - The Cecil and Linda Rorabeck Chair in Molecular Neuroscience and Vascular Biology, was named at the University of Western Ontario. A donation of $1 million from Cecil and Linda Rorabeck and a $500,000 bequest from Myra Millson plus $1.5 million in matching funds from the university foundation	$1.5 million
Grande Prairie, Alberta - A gift made by Frank Lovsin to the Community Foundation of Greater Grande Prairie to be used in creating a twin ice arena surface for the Peace River community	$1 million
Toronto, Ontario - The Royal Bank of Canada announced the RBC Play Hockey to bring hockey to neighborhoods across North America	$1 million
Selkirk, Manitoba - A gift of stock from Jim and Betty Anne Gaynor to the Selkirk & District Community Foundation, the largest gift ever by a living donor	$1 million
Vancouver, British Columbia - Another success for the 24th annual Crystal Ball for the Campaign for BC Children Children's Hospital gala event where Scotiabank announced its gift of $1 millon during a live TV broadcast	$1 million
Niagara Falls, Ontario - A surprise gift by John McBain to the Family and Children's Services Niagara towards the construction of a new facility	$750,000
Hamilton, Ontario - ArcelorMittal Dofasco's gift to the Hamilton & Burlington United Way via its Mobile Giving campaign that allows donations to be made from cell phones through text messages	$600,000
Toronto, Ontario - The employees at Molson Coors raised a combined $595,000 nationally for United Ways across the country in 2010	$595,000
Chatham-Kent, Ontario - UNION GAS made an historic gift to Chatham-Kent United Way through the annual employee fundraising campaign	$570,866
London, Ontario - A donation by 3M Canada’s Employee Charitable Contribution Organization and a contribution from the company to the United Way of London and Middlesex to this year's campaign	$305,000
Toronto, Ontario - RBC donation to the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative to support the expansion of its Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship program	$300,000
Calgary, Alberta - Ex-Mayor Dave Bronconnier donated funds leftover from his political campaign to charity including the Campus Calgary programs, the Calgary Public Library Foundation, the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre and the West Side Recreation Centre, which received $50,000 each and $25,000 was donated to help transport a container of supplies for a school library in Ghana	$275,000
Toronto, Ontario - A grant from the Rogers Foundation will establish the Ted Rogers Paediatric Transport Program for the benefit of sick and injured children across the province of Ontario	$250,000
Toronto, Ontario - Pizza Pizza Limited wraps up 2010 with its most successful year of fundraising donating to Children's Miracle Network	$175,000
Calgary, Alberta - Imperial Oil Canada, and its Chairman, President and CEO, Bruce March, made a donation of an Arthur Lismer oil painting that was auctioned off and the proceeds went to the United Way of Calgary	$140,000
Fredericton, New Brunswick - The Lorne Berggren Scholarship supports students in the mechanical engineering was established at the University of New Brunswick with the gift from the Toronto-based entrepreneur	$100,000
Fort Garry, Manitoba - A gift from the Canada Post Mental Health Foundation to The Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre to expand future programming	$55,000 +
Ucluelet, British Columbia - The Ucluelet Aquarium Society got a donation from Mainstream Canada towards construction of a larger facility	$50,000
Montreal, Quebec - Loyola High School students held a dance & song event with proceeds going to the Montreal Children's Hospital	$35,000
International Major Gifts December 2010
Paris, France - World Bank announced a record amount of contributions to Poor Countries around the world in 2010 that totalled more than $49.3 billion to the International Development Association This represents a 3 year pledge by governments and others, an 18% increase over the previous 3 year period	$49.3 billion
Dublin, Ireland - THE WORLDWIDE Ireland Funds charitable network announced a “Promising Ireland” campaign to raise $100 million for Irish causes by the end of 2013	$100 million
Aduja, Nigeria - International donors pledge to the African Program for Onchocerciasis Control to support efforts to control and eliminate the tropical disease onchocerciasis, commonly called river blindness, announcement came at the 16th meeting of the Joint Action Forum	$31 million
Armenia via New York - The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund raised a record-breaking $20.8 million in pledges at its 13th annual telethon held on KCET television over Thanksgiving weekend Armenia Fund’s global fundraising campaigns included phone-a-thons, gala dinners, charity concerts, radiothons as well as the annual benefit gala held in Moscow and the 11th Pan-European Phone-a-thon held in Paris. Russian-Armenian businessmen Levon Hayrapetyan and Samvel Karapetian donated $2 million each, constituting this year’s single-largest donors Live events were broadcast on television, satellite networks and on the internet	$20.8 million
Wales, United Kingdom - An estate gift from Albert John Yemm bequeathed £1 million to Cancer Research Wales, £500,000 to the University Hospital in Wales Eye Clinic and £250,000 to Barnados	£1.75 million
Leeds, England - The Leeds School of Medicine received a gift from Leeds celebrity Sir Jimmy Savile to support top medical students over the next five years	£ 500,000
India via San Diego gala event - The 7th Annual American India Foundation gala event raised funds for rickshaw drivers in India, event was held in San Diego, California	$425,000
International - Online computer gamers raised $183,000 in their annual fundraising event the Childs Play Gala & Auction that has raised over $7 million since 2003, funds go to hospitals in the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Egypt	$183,000

2010 Survey of Major Gifts - USA January 1 to October 31 ~ 270 for $6.2 Billion
USA	$5 million +	$20 million +	$50 million +	$100 million +
Higher Education	102	26	12	3
Health Care	26	12	3	1
Arts &Culture	15	7	-	-
Other Nonprofits	43	11	5	4
Total = 270	186	56	20	8

2009 Survey of Major Gifts - USA Jan. to Dec. 2009 ~ 247 for $5.1 Billion
USA	$5 million +	$20 million +	$50 million +	$100 million +
Higher Education	75	32	8	3
Health Care	28	13	2	7
Arts &Culture	16	4	1	-
Other Nonprofits	39	11	5	3
Total = 247	158	60	16	13

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