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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

Another Drug Manufacturer Pursues Rebate Program as 340B Alternative

December 11, 2024Some of the nation’s largest drug manufacturers are forging ahead to implement rebate programs for 340B drugs, even after the federal government has called these programs illegal. While it is unclear how these federal courts will rule, this could threaten the sustainability of safety net providers and their patients.Client Alert

Hurry Up, STOP. . .Has CTA Been Struck Down By Courts?

December 5, 2024Following a recent case in Texas, uncertainty has arisen regarding whether clients should file "beneficial owners" reports. This is a result of the Federal Government enjoined from enforcing the CTA. Contact your BMD Member Blake Gerney to find out how this affects you.Client Alert

DEA and HHS Issue its Third Extension of Telemedicine Flexibilities through 2025

December 2, 2024The DEA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have extended telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled medications through December 31, 2025. This extension builds on temporary exceptions made in 2020 due to COVID-19, allowing providers to prescribe Schedule II-V controlled substances based on a telemedicine evaluation alone. The extension ensures continued patient access to necessary prescriptions and provides time for providers to comply with future regulations.Client Alert

Medicare Making Changes to Improve Behavioral Health Care Access

November 26, 2024The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has introduced changes to Medicare’s behavioral health coverage, including allowing Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors to enroll independently, increasing reimbursements for crisis psychotherapy and substance use treatment, and expanding services via community health workers. These updates address gaps in care and improve access to mental health services for Medicare beneficiaries.Client Alert

The Ohio Department of Medicaid Announces Four Next Generation MyCare Plans

November 11, 2024On November 1, 2024, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) announced four managed care organizations that will become ODM’s Next Generation MyCare plans starting January 2026. MyCare Ohio is a managed care program that supports Ohioans across 29 counties enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid.
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