
Ask HN: How do you pass on your work when you die? - PascLeRasc
I&#x27;m currently the sole manager of a website hosted on Google Cloud Platform and using Google Domains, so it&#x27;s all tied to my gmail&#x2F;google account. I realized recently that if I was to pass away, no one would be able to maintain the site without my Google account information, and I don&#x27;t know how they could transfer domain ownership. What do you do to mitigate this kind of risk?
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rabboRubble
Everything depends on having a person that you can trust. Along with my will
and estate plan, I have a technical handover plan ("THP"). The THP for is 2
pages long with the core accounts needed for recreating my technical life.
Page 1 is a technical recovery document with instructions that assumes
complete loss of all my hardware, for example in a fire. Page 2 lists
1Password vault password key, hardware inventory, cloud accounts, and offsite
data back up. For each item, I list some combination of password, ID, license
key, two factor recovery key, and where I get a two factor code from. These
documents are on file in a trusted person's fire proof safe and with an
attorney.

In addition to this documentation, for Gmail and Facebook, I have completed
the "I'm dead, do this with my account" sections of my account profiles.
Gmail, after 90 days of inactivity, my brother gets an email and gains access
to the Gmail account.

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danso
Set up access control. I believe Google Cloud applications can be assigned to
multiple users, in the same way that a Google Document can. Create a couple of
superuser accounts. As long as one person is alive, someone has the proper
access to change things if needed.

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p333347
There are these two stackexchange qna threads [0] [1] that I had bookmarked a
while back. I came across another one [2] that mentions something called "bus
factor"[3], which I found quite amusing, though this question is about
freelancing. I think there is enough material in all these combined and the
links they point to to sufficiently address your concerns.

[0]
[http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/125656/softwa...](http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/125656/software-
development-project-1-programmer-what-if-hit-by-bus)

[1] [http://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/9128/how-
can-i-...](http://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/9128/how-can-i-
prepare-for-getting-hit-by-a-bus)

[2] [http://freelancing.stackexchange.com/questions/126/how-
can-w...](http://freelancing.stackexchange.com/questions/126/how-can-we-
prepare-for-getting-hit-by-a-bus)

[3]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_factor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_factor)

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angry-hacker
My problem is that I can pay everything in advance to insure myself, but who
can make sure everything keeps running on my vps?

I have 2fa everywhere and my close ones won't be able to keep updating my box
or troubleshoot... I guess the bank will close my card when I die and I can
pay in advance. Currently, I have 3 years of 'insurance' , but what if DO
doesn't exist anymore...

~~~
rabboRubble
I forgot two other pieces of information. I also created a "Life Handover
Plan" ("LHP") to go along with the will.

The LHP has a number of sections including the following: 1) a schedule of
routine payments made to vendors, the payment amounts, the payment method
(check/card/transfer) and the schedule for payment. Some are like yours: years
out in future. 2) A file directory structure for each hardware device,
highlighting what important data is stored where. Very little of what I back
up is actually important for an executor. 3) Contact details for attorney,
CPA, foreign contacts for my international affairs, and all people listed in
my will.

Regarding 2FA, on the technical recovery plan I outlined above, for each key
account protected with 2FA I describe the 2FA recovery procedure. Example, I
have the Google back up recovery codes listed. Each 2FA is different. My motto
is that if I know how to recover an account secured with 2FA, example if I
lose my phone with the Google Authenticator app, I have enough information to
document the recovery procedure for a 3rd party.

------
Canada
Do you have a will? Issues such as who will inherit copyright ownership of
your work should be handled there.

As for passwords, keys and so on, you can put all that into a single archive.
(eg. regularly export your password manager, put any private keys you want to
pass on, instructions for how to use them, etc)

Encrypt the tarball/zip file with a symmetric key.

Then you can use Shamir's Secret Sharing Scheme to split up the key so that a
certain threshold of key holders is required to access the data (eg. Any 2 of
4): [http://point-at-infinity.org/ssss/](http://point-at-infinity.org/ssss/)

Distribute the parts of the key to your heirs.

Leave instructions in your will so your heirs can locate the encrypted file
when the time comes.

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mattbgates
Kind of an interesting thing, but nothing is guaranteed. The only things that
are probably guaranteed are the websites with boards, major social media
networks, with CEOs who make sure that they get passed on. Apple is a pretty
good example. I currently run a popular website,
[http://www.confessionsoftheprofessions.com](http://www.confessionsoftheprofessions.com)
and I have hundreds of companies and individuals that rely on me every year to
publish their articles. The thought always crosses my mind to know what would
they do if something would happen to me.. sure, the site would die and they
would probably just find somewhere else to publish their new articles, but I
would certainly love to know it would continue without me, but its a blog that
I know how to run and I've not really taught anyone else how to "process"
articles, so I suppose it will go with me. I have mentioned it to my fiancee
and left her with the username and passwords, and even if she doesn't process
any new articles, I would hope that she at least pays to keep the server and
hosting going! At least Google and the Internet archive might do something
with it.

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pseudozach
google has a mechanism for such things in place it's called "account
inactivity". Basically you setup a contact person to whom your account will be
handed over after a certain time has passed and you haven't logged in.

------
JSeymourATL
I was shocked to hear recently of a local business owner who I knew that died
suddenly-- still young in his mid-50s. Super sharp guy, a systems guy. He had
a contingency plan in place.

Folks speculate that he must have known something. But his wife insists he was
always a planner. The business appears to be busy and humming along fine. In
many ways a tribute to what he built. Certainly a huge relief to his family,
employees, and customers.

Here's good link on contingency planning> [https://partners-
network.com/2013/10/17/contingency-plan-for...](https://partners-
network.com/2013/10/17/contingency-plan-for-a-sole-business-owner-dropping-
dead/)

------
kennu
Isn't the real answer to this to start a company (or some other form of
organization)? Then the accounts and other ownerships are no longer tied to a
single individual but to a virtual entity that can be controlled by other
individuals when needed.

~~~
mdrzn
This. Why aren't more people thinking about this? Just start a company, get a
partner or two and you're good to go.

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ng-user
One thing I've considered too as I begin to work with more and more developers
on larger projects is the good ole 'Bus Factor [0]. In short, it's determining
whether or not your project can be sustained should the major contributor or
'main brain' behind the project get hit by a bus. The entire objective is to
reduce the number of places the project can fail, simply by having one member
pass unexpectedly. Should you steer clear of avoiding a single point of
failure? Absolutely. Is it always avoidable? Absolutely not.

[0] -
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_factor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_factor)

------
kawera
A bit tangential but this may be part of the solution:
[https://www.deadmansswitch.net/](https://www.deadmansswitch.net/)

~~~
angry-hacker
Nice, but what if the site / owner dies and then I'm uninsured.. :)

~~~
restalis
There can only be a risk mitigation through redundant (similar) services.
There aren't any 100% solid insurances. Think about the reasons why force
majeure clauses exist. A lot of things can happen and no one can cover you
100% because no one is omnipotent (just think about what an insurer can do if
all your heirs die too).

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a3n
I asked about this years ago, I think it was PairNic. They said file a legal
document and send them a copy.

So, there's the technical route, whoever has the passwords wins.

But if it matters, and you don't want your technical heirs to be fighting each
other, you should probably establish ownership and succession with a lawyer.

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besselheim
I used to concern myself with this, but eventually realised that it doesn't
really matter, as I'll be permanently dead and gone. And in time, so will
everyone who ever knew me.

In the grand scheme of things, we're all irrelevant. And in the end, none of
this really matters.

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33a
Will figure it out when that happens.

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ChoHag
That's what children are for.

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aaron695
Don't.

Concentrate on living a healthier/safer life and keep it going longer.

~~~
k_sh
This is pretty ridiculous advice.

Death has a 100% chance of happening to all of us, and it is rarely
predictable.

Being healthy and safe won't save you from a drunk driver, for example.

~~~
a-no-n
Seriously, not having your own burial arrangements, design headstone and plot
already paid/picked out is nearly as bad as people whom selfishly commit
suicide, get into drugs and/or make their lives trainwrecks and shift the
costs, burden and agony onto the living. In the mortuary industry, it's called
"pre-need" and it's way cheaper (adjusted for inflation) to get it done in
today's money than decades later. Plus, there's pre-need cremation for those
whom don't want to go in the ground in a vault+casket, which also cheaper.

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Raed667
Why would you care? You'd be dead.

