Spring Cleaning Your Digital Presence: A Modern Necessity

As the seasons change and households embrace the tradition of spring cleaning, there is another area that deserves equal attention: your digital presence. For many individuals, decades of financial records, online accounts and personal information now exist across a wide range of websites and services. Over time, it is easy to lose track of what is active or secure. Spring is a great time to get your digital house in order and the following steps will help you do just that.

1. Assess Your Data

A simple first step is to check whether your email or accounts have ever been exposed in a data breach, or to review your account safety settings. If this feels overwhelming, consider asking a trusted family member or a member of your client centric team to sit with you and walk through these checks together.

Helpful tools to get started:

• Have I Been Pwned — haveibeenpwned.com
• XposedOrNot — xposedornot.com
• Google Account Security Checkup — myaccount.google.com/security-checkup

2. Inventory Your Accounts

A thoughtful digital clean-up begins with a clear inventory. This simply means making a list of your important online accounts—such as banking, investment platforms, insurance portals, and any subscriptions you may have. Start with what you use most often, then gradually add others as you remember them. Writing things down in a secure place is key; some prefer a printed list kept in a safe, while others may use a simple digital tool. As you go, note which accounts you no longer use so they can be closed or monitored. If you are unsure how to close an account, most websites have a “Help” or “Support” section, or a member of your client centric team can assist.

Helpful tools for organizing your list:

• Microsoft Excel — microsoft.com/excel
• Notion — notion.so

3. Protect Your Accounts

Equally important is making sure your accounts are well protected. This includes updating passwords so they are unique and difficult to guess and turning on an extra layer of security called two-factor authentication, which should be managed via an authenticator app and not text (SMS) messages. If managing multiple passwords feels burdensome, many people find it helpful to use a secure password manager. These tools safely store your passwords, so you only need to remember one master password. If preferred, a trusted family member or a member of your client centric team can help set this up during a dedicated session.

Helpful security tools:

• 1Password — 1password.com
• Keeper — keepersecurity.com
• Microsoft Authenticator App — microsoft.com/en-us/security/mobile-authenticator-app
• Authy — authy.com
• Google Authenticator — support.google.com/accounts/answer/1066447

4. Update Your Privacy Settings

Privacy is another important consideration. Over the years, personal details such as phone numbers, addresses, and family information may have become publicly available online. Taking time to review what is visible—and removing what is unnecessary—can reduce unwanted contact and potential fraud. There are services available that can help remove your information from data broker websites, as well as tools to adjust privacy settings on social platforms. If this process feels technical, a family member or professional service can handle it for you.

Helpful privacy services:

• DeleteMe — joindeleteme.com
• Optery — optery.com
• Facebook (Privacy Settings) — facebook.com/privacy/checkup
• LinkedIn (Privacy Settings) — linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/66

5. Review Your Digital Estate Plan

Finally, it is important to think about legacy planning. Just as you have organized your financial and physical assets as part of your estate plan, your digital assets should also be clearly documented. This may include online bank accounts, investment portals, photo collections and important email accounts. Consider keeping a secure record of this information and sharing instructions with a trusted individual, such as an executor. This step can greatly reduce stress for your family in the future.

Helpful planning options:

• Your Estate Planning Attorney
• Everplans — everplans.com

In an increasingly connected world, maintaining your digital presence is not just a matter of convenience—it is an important part of protecting your wealth and personal information. This spring, alongside tidying your home, consider setting aside a quiet afternoon – or scheduling time with a member of your client centric team – to review your digital life. Making this a yearly habit, perhaps around the spring equinox, can help ensure everything remains secure, organized and easy to manage.