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Estate Planning with Apple’s Legacy Contact

Client Alert
August 9, 2023

What happens to your Apple ID account when you die? Apple has created a feature among its products which allows you to choose one or more people to have access to your Apple ID account following your death. Apple refers to the online tool as a “Legacy Contact.” An Apple user may designate anyone to be their Legacy Contact, including those who do not own an Apple device or have an Apple ID. You can send the legacy contact a message that includes the access key, or you can print off a copy and keep it with your estate documents. At any time before your death, you may remove someone from being a Legacy Contact. The person you have removed will not receive a notification that they have been removed. However, their access key will no longer work.

If you are named as someone’s Legacy Contact and the account holder has passed, you can access their data by submitting a request to Apple with the access key that you received and the account holder’s death certificate. Once this information has been verified and access has been approved, the Legacy Contact will receive a special Apple ID to access the account data. The data a Legacy Contact may access includes photos, notes, mail, contacts, calendars, reminders, messages, call history, health data, Safari bookmarks, voice memos, and files stored. The Legacy Contact’s access only lasts for three years, and the account will be deleted permanently following the three-year period.

Apple’s new feature has a significant impact on estate planning. Under Ohio law, online tools such as Apple’s Legacy Contact supersede contrary directions in a person’s will, trust, power of attorney, or other record. This means that if you do not name the same person to be your Legacy Contact as you name in your will or trust, your Legacy Contact may act contrary to what your will or trust states. Therefore, it is important to consult with an experienced estate planning attorney when determining how to handle digital assets. Those who do not have a plan for their digital assets may be susceptible to identity theft, losses to the estate, exposure of secrets, and loss of sentimental data.

If you have any questions regarding Apple’s Legacy Contact or planning for your digital assets, please contact Cassandra Manna at clmanna@bmdllc.com or (216) 658-2206.

Estate Planning
Client Alert

Ohio House Bill 429: Potential Relief for Providers Facing Same-Day Reimbursement Restrictions

September 15, 2025Ohio House Bill 429 aims to prevent third-party payers from reducing provider reimbursement for multiple procedures performed on the same day. The bill could improve payment practices for a range of specialties, including surgery and gastroenterology.Client Alert

FTC Continues to Target Noncompetes

September 11, 2025The FTC is intensifying its focus on noncompete agreements in healthcare, urging employers to review contracts for compliance. While Ohio still generally enforces noncompetes, pending legislation could limit their use.Client Alert

Medicare Updates: Prior Authorizations and Physician Fee Schedule

September 8, 2025The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced two key updates effective January 1, 2026: a six-state prior authorization pilot program targeting high-risk services under the WISeR Model, and proposed revisions to the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) that include increased payment rates, expanded telehealth coverage, and updated policies for chronic care, behavioral health, and rural providers.Client Alert

USCIS Policy Updates: Implications for Business Immigration

August 20, 2025In August 2025, USCIS issued three key policy updates enhancing vetting, good moral character (GMC) evaluations, and scrutiny of "anti-American" conduct in immigration adjudications. These policy memos will impact employers sponsoring foreign workers, including H-1B, L-1, EB visas, adjustments, and naturalization.Client Alert

Ohio Passes Antidiscrimination Provision for CRNA Reimbursement

August 14, 2025Ohio has passed House Bill 96, introducing a provider nondiscrimination provision that requires health plans to reimburse certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) at the same rate as physicians for the same services. The law aims to improve patient access to care by eliminating payment discrimination against CRNAs and will take effect on September 30, 2025.
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