[Spridgets] Passwords, passwords, pa...OK, no LBC

[Tim Collins]

My wife is completely computer illiterate.

With bill paying, health info, banking, insurance, retirement, etc on 
line now, I have prepared a "If I drop dead" database so someone can 
help her find the bills, bank statements, etc. should I get hit by a 
Mack truck.

It consists of more than passwords and userids - things like 
challenge questions, security picture, "real person phone numbers" 
(Ya, I'll bet you get a real person when you call!), addresses, 
URL's, and general notes like is a bill paid at this site, does a 
statement come electronically, etc. I keep a paper printout in the 
"vault" and keep the database up to date on a regular basis with new 
printouts as needed. One thing I did is to consolidate bill paying 
(for the most part) through our bank so there are very few different 
web sites where bills are paid.

I provide all that info incase it is needed to get to our records 
from another computer that is not "Registered" on a particular web 
site or if she wants to convert back to paper bills. You might 
remember that that computer registration process is where the confirm 
the computer (Ya, it's a religious experience) you are using and 
leave a "cookie" on your computer so they will recognize you the next 
time - you need those challenge questions and security pictures for that.

To make things worse I am paying the in-laws bills too since the 
father-in-law took a dive off the ladder a year ago and broke his 
femur at 94 years old. They've never had a checking account or credit 
card - completely cash so always had to go to the credit union in 
person to get money to pay bills. It's what some folks from that 
generation do, I guess.

I just hope my banks, and other financial institutions are being as 
diligent about backing up my info as I am!