Question: I recently updated my will to distribute my assets the way I want. That got me thinking about my online assets, like my Facebook account. What can I expect to happen to it when I pass away?

Answer: You're smart to be thinking ahead about your online assets. Here's how it works with your Facebook account when you pass away:

You can choose to appoint a legacy contact, which is a person you trust who will look after your account if it's memorialized. A memorialized account is a place for friends and family to continue to share memories of you after you've died.

If you don't choose a legacy contact, your account will still be memorialized when requested by close family or friends, but no one will be able to log in, accept friend requests, change the profile photo, etc. To manage your legacy contact, follow these steps:

1. In the top-right corner of your home page, click the down-arrow and select Settings > Manage Account.
   
   
2. Type in your friend's name and select Add.
   
   
3. To let this friend know you've appointed them as your legacy contact, select Send.

Alternatively, you can choose to have your account permanently deleted when Facebook learns of your passing. Here are the steps:

1. In the top-right corner of your home page, click the down-arrow and select Settings > Manage Account.
   
   
2. Select Request Account Deletion and follow the instructions from there.