3 ms·

Could put something like a 1password (or other password manager) key/password somewhere accessible.

enraged_camel 9y ago
You could put it in your will, right? That way only your lawyer has access, and if you die then it is released based on the instructions.
- patmcc 9y ago
  I'd strongly suggest NOT putting it in your will - more people than you may think end up taking a look at the will. Off the top of my head, based on acting as (co)executor for my father: -All executors -Lawyer -Bank teller (x2) who took photocopies so they know who the exeuctors are -Car insurance person, same as above -All potential beneficiaries, so they can challenge it if needed (this is a part of probate) -Once it's in probate, pretty much anyone I'd say it's safer to have in a "in case I die" envelope next to the will, but explicitly not part of the will.
PeterisP 9y ago
You anyway need an offline backup for such keys/passwords in case you forget them, lose them, or they get destroyed in e.g. fire. E.g. it's not safe if the passphrase for your password manager or cryptocurrency wallet is only a single copy in your head; there are all kinds of plausible traumatic events/accidents resulting in things like prolonged hospitalization (e.g. what if you get hit by a car?) that may result in you misremembering some detail. If you have a backup of the "master keys" in a safe somewhere, then they're not only a backup for you, but also for whoever inherits that safe.
- bpicolo 9y ago
  I'll admit I've considered the amnesia scenario before. Haven't done anything about it yet though. Might need to start thinking about that.
  - PeterisP 9y ago
    It's not even amnesia - any life event that's serious enough to simply force you to not use some password and require you to stressfully think about something else for some weeks can be sufficient to misremember anything that's complex/random enough to be secure. E.g. a loved one getting a near-death event and suddenly needing lots and lots and lots of attention isn't really an "amnesia scenario", but might be sufficient; the same applies for the (admittedly rare) scenarios where travellers have gotten kidnapped by criminals or detained by third-world authorities, and people who have had to suddenly evacuate out of, for example, Syria. If you're out of action for some time, you may realistically be unable to recall exact details that aren't relevant to daily life in your changed environment - such as passwords. I've even seen breakups or divorces being traumatic enough so that people wouldn't care about anything at all for quite some time; and I can also imagine that a "less than perfect" childbirth and its consequences occupying all your thoughts and cares (and sleep!) for a week or two would also suffice. There are all kinds of scenarios that trigger mental breakdowns so that, for example, people don't care about eating for days simply because what's happening right now is more important, immediate and overwhelming. In such cases they wouldn't also care about their digital suff, and when (some time after) the situation normalizes, and they get back to caring about access to their digital resources, there's no guarantee that they'd be able to recall anything that's not a basic, instinctive skill.

You could put it in your will, right? That way only your lawyer has access, and if you die then it is released based on the instructions.

patmcc 9y ago
I'd strongly suggest NOT putting it in your will - more people than you may think end up taking a look at the will. Off the top of my head, based on acting as (co)executor for my father: -All executors -Lawyer -Bank teller (x2) who took photocopies so they know who the exeuctors are -Car insurance person, same as above -All potential beneficiaries, so they can challenge it if needed (this is a part of probate) -Once it's in probate, pretty much anyone I'd say it's safer to have in a "in case I die" envelope next to the will, but explicitly not part of the will.

PeterisP 9y ago

You anyway need an offline backup for such keys/passwords in case you forget them, lose them, or they get destroyed in e.g. fire. E.g. it's not safe if the passphrase for your password manager or cryptocurrency wallet is only a single copy in your head; there are all kinds of plausible traumatic events/accidents resulting in things like prolonged hospitalization (e.g. what if you get hit by a car?) that may result in you misremembering some detail. If you have a backup of the "master keys" in a safe somewhere, then they're not only a backup for you, but also for whoever inherits that safe.

bpicolo 9y ago
I'll admit I've considered the amnesia scenario before. Haven't done anything about it yet though. Might need to start thinking about that.
- PeterisP 9y ago
  It's not even amnesia - any life event that's serious enough to simply force you to not use some password and require you to stressfully think about something else for some weeks can be sufficient to misremember anything that's complex/random enough to be secure. E.g. a loved one getting a near-death event and suddenly needing lots and lots and lots of attention isn't really an "amnesia scenario", but might be sufficient; the same applies for the (admittedly rare) scenarios where travellers have gotten kidnapped by criminals or detained by third-world authorities, and people who have had to suddenly evacuate out of, for example, Syria. If you're out of action for some time, you may realistically be unable to recall exact details that aren't relevant to daily life in your changed environment - such as passwords. I've even seen breakups or divorces being traumatic enough so that people wouldn't care about anything at all for quite some time; and I can also imagine that a "less than perfect" childbirth and its consequences occupying all your thoughts and cares (and sleep!) for a week or two would also suffice. There are all kinds of scenarios that trigger mental breakdowns so that, for example, people don't care about eating for days simply because what's happening right now is more important, immediate and overwhelming. In such cases they wouldn't also care about their digital suff, and when (some time after) the situation normalizes, and they get back to caring about access to their digital resources, there's no guarantee that they'd be able to recall anything that's not a basic, instinctive skill.