February 2, 2016

A recent case involving ownership of an Ipad highlights how important it is to plan ahead comprehensively in terms of your estate. While many people think big picture and have beneficiaries on a life insurance policy or plans for assets like a house, it’s important to minimize all potential challenges for your spouse or other beneficiaries. 

A woman in Canada has learned this message after her husband passed away last August. Together, the couple owned an Apple computer and an Ipad. Even though the woman knows the Ipad unlock code, she does not have the password for the Apple ID. Thinking that the death certificate and will would be enough proved an unfortunate perception, since Apple refuses to give her access to the password.

According to the widow, after a lot of back and forth with the tech giant, someone told her she needed a court order. Although this is an extreme case, it does tell a cautionary tale. Having instructions for all your personal items can help to prevent your beneficiaries from headaches like this one. Set up a meeting with an experienced estate planning attorney to discuss all the items you should consider in the estate planning process so as to minimize frustration for your loved ones.