But more and more, I’m getting a different kind of question. It usually starts with something like, “What do we do about Dad’s Facebook page?” Or, “Mom had pictures saved on her phone we need. Can we even get those back?”

It’s a strange thing to think about, but it makes sense. Our loved ones leave behind more than photo albums and keepsakes now. They leave behind a Gmail inbox full of old messages, a Facebook page people might still visit, maybe a Netflix account the whole family shares. When someone dies, figuring out what to do with all of it can feel overwhelming, right on top of everything else you’re already carrying.

So I wanted to walk through this the way I would if we were sitting across from each other, one account type at a time, with no jargon and nothing confusing.

Email is often the key to everything else, since it’s usually tied to someone’s other accounts through password resets. Google has a feature called the Inactive Account Manager, which lets someone plan ahead and name a trusted person to receive their data if the account goes quiet for a set period. Without that set up in advance, Google does have a process for family members to request access, though approval isn’t guaranteed and it can take time.

Here’s something worth knowing either way: Google now deletes accounts after about two years of inactivity, so if there are photos or messages your family wants to preserve, it’s worth acting sooner rather than later. My advice, if you’re planning ahead for yourself or a parent, take ten minutes to set up Inactive Account Manager now. It saves your family both a headache and a deadline they didn’t know they had.

This is usually the one that brings up the most emotion, because a Facebook page can become a kind of memorial on its own, with friends and family still stopping by to leave a comment on someone’s birthday. Facebook lets you either memorialize an account, which freezes it and adds “Remembering” above the person’s name, or request it be removed entirely.

A family member can submit this request directly through Facebook’s memorialization request form, along with proof of death like a death certificate or obituary. Instagram offers something similar. Memorializing tends to be the choice most families make. It keeps the page as a gentle, lasting tribute rather than erasing it.

This one’s a bit more hands-on. Banks like Chase or Bank of America will typically need a certified copy of the death certificate, a valid photo ID, and proof that you’re the executor, trustee, or authorized next of kin before they’ll close an account or release funds. I always tell families, order extra certified copies of the death certificate right at the start. You’ll need more than you’d think, and banks are usually near the top of that list.

These are easy to overlook, but they add up. Here’s some good news, though: Netflix makes this one simple, since a family member can cancel the account directly through the account page without needing to provide a death certificate at all. Spotify is similar, usually a quick conversation with their support team. One thing worth knowing, if your loved one paid for a Spotify family plan, once that payment stops, everyone else on the plan drops down to the free version, so it’s worth giving those family members a heads up.

For many families, this is the one that matters most emotionally. Photos are often the thing people want more than anything else. If your loved one had an iPhone, Apple has a Legacy Contact feature that lets someone access the person’s Apple ID and photos after their death, using an access key set up in advance along with a death certificate. Without that in place, Apple’s process typically requires a court order, which in many cases means involving a probate attorney, and it tends to be a slower, more involved road. Again, this is one of those things worth setting up for yourself today, so your own family doesn’t have to go through that extra step later.

If I had to boil all of this down to one piece of advice, it’s this. Make a list, while you can, of your accounts and how your family can access them if needed. It doesn’t have to be complicated. A simple note with your email, banking, and social accounts, kept somewhere safe, is a gift to the people you love. It’s one less thing they’ll have to figure out during an already difficult time.

And if you’re the one sitting on the other side of this right now, trying to sort out a parent’s or spouse’s accounts after a loss, please know you don’t have to figure it all out alone. Reach out to us here at Piasecki Funeral Home. We’ve walked many families through this, and we’re happy to help however we can.