Where to keep everything?

GDB2222

It's not just access to bank accounts, but photos and things like that. Placing a death notice on your Facebook account, maybe.

colsten

18cc wrote: »

I think if you are considering leaving a list of passwords etc for if you shuffle off This Mortal Coil then it is worth remembering that unless it is a joint account then the survivor will not have the authority to log on etc and therefore there is very little point in doing that

the only thing you need to do is to leave a list of the institutions you bank with so the survivor can contact them with your death certificate

Sure but bank accounts aren't the only thing I'll leave behind

colsten

badger09 wrote: »

Would you mind sharing (briefly) how this is possible? I'm considering a password manager instead of my current password protected excel spreadsheet on an encrypted password protected USB stick.

Its fine for me but when I shuffle off, if husband is still around he won't have a clue what to do with it (even if I explain) and my son is on the other side of the world.

PS link doesn't work for me

Sorry about the link, have updated it now.

There's an extensive user manual online.

For ongoing sharing: https://support.logmeininc.com/lastpass/help/use-the-sharing-center-lp020007

For emergency access: https://support.logmeininc.com/lastpass/help/set-up-and-manage-emergency-access-lp030013

I am pleased you asked, as the emergency access is now a ONE_TIME access only. I am sure it didn't use to be (I have had it for years) and I must have missed when they changed it. I need to investigate further.

jonnygee2

A password manager is the best place to store the details online . These are very well protected, they can store your card details including your pins perfectly securely as well as your passwords and personal information.

Also, anyone who takes internet security seriously should probably be using a password manager anyway! And they make your online life a lot easier (as well as a lot more secure).

Like Colsten I also use my password manager to share information with my partner securely - so they have access to my bank accounts, online sites etc which is also handy.

There's a guide to getting started with a password manager here: https://www.howtogeek.com/141500/why-you-should-use-a-password-manager-and-how-to-get-started/

That said - for PINS I have two cards which I use in shops and I know the PIN (and it's not written down anywhere), one card that has the PIN stored in the password manager, and the rest have the PIN stored but they've long since been cut up and thrown away.

jonnygee2

For PIN numbers I set them all to the same number and then dispose of notification.

That's actually bad practice, especially if using the same for debit and credit cards.

Credit card companies often have poor procedures for PIN safety. Not so long ago I phoned up Capital One. After passing a very easy security test consisting only of publicly available information (and getting some of it wrong on first try!), I was able to change my address and get a new card and a PIN reminder to the new address. On one call.

Had that had been a identity theft, and the person had used my Capital One account, I would have been able to claim it was Capital One's fault. But if I had a second card with the same PIN, and they managed to get and use that, I would have been negligent (in using the same PIN - it's supposed to be unique) and would have lost the money.

Basically in any situation where someone gets hold of your PIN, if they use it across multiple cards you probably won't be protected.

Having different, random PINs for every card is very important.

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/saving/article-2232430/Have-PIN-number-Its-YOUR-fault-cash-stolen.html

Jami74

jonnygee2 wrote: »

A password manager is the best place to store the details online . These are very well protected, they can store your card details including your pins perfectly securely as well as your passwords and personal information.

I'm just off to read the link now and maybe it'll answer my questions, but I can't help thinking that having all your bank and card details stored in one online app is a bit risky.

And if the password manager was compromised, would the banks consider that you were careless to put all that information in one place or do they consider it a good safety precaution?

jonnygee2

I'm just off to read the link now and maybe it'll answer my questions, but I can't help thinking that having all your bank and card details stored in one online app is a bit risky.

And if the password manager was compromised, would the banks consider that you were careless to put all that information in one place or do they consider it a good safety precaution?

This is a very valid question. If your password manager was compromised, and your card and PIN used, you would definitely be liable.

But, if used properly they can't be compromised. The encryption for anything stored on their servers is essentially unbreakable. The only way it can be compromised is locally - ie someone gets into your account on one of the devices it is registered on.

But if the password is truly random, of sufficient length, and not written down anywhere, and the devices themselves are all separately secured (and protected from viruses!), then barring some sort of mission impossible type raid, it's basically unbreakable.

Still, my ever so slight (and probably unjustified) worry about this system is still the reason that I don't store the PINS for the two cards in my wallet in this - I just memorise them. The PIN for the unused card is lower risk, as you'd also need the card which is locked in my filing cabinet.

jonnygee2

As a point of interest; https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/what-does-ncsc-think-password-managers

They do say that 'password managers have been successfully targeted before and realistically they will be again'. This is GCHQ though - at a certain level anything can be broken (like the Fed breaking

They also point out some banks don't support them. But, overall they are GCHQ recommend :-) . .

Doesn't entirely support my post, but worth posting as an independent source of information. Still my recommended storage place.

dcs34

Possibly tempting fate here but my thinking is that the chances of someone breaking in to my home, finding a random bit of paper with all the information written on it (using codes of course) and accessing my accounts is far less likely than the risk of using simple, remember-able passwords, single PINs, password managers and the like.

In the old days of filofax's these could all be hidden as addresses and phone numbers to such dubiously named contacts as "Sally Lloyd", "Natalie Westbrook", "H. Kong BSc"...

No_6

I use MS money on my pc and enter all details
under the named account, ie passwords, pins etc etc etc
the works ! every data to get into our MANY accounts.

it's on MY PC and covered with a password to get into !

mainly encase I pop my clogs and the OH has to look over
all OUR accounts

6 hope she remembers the password !!