Leaving your accumulated earnings to a fellow hubber or family member

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  1. Jlbowden profile image85
    Jlbowdenposted 12 years ago

    What do you think about the idea of having wills set aside for each and every writer here on the hubpages platform? I've had this discussion in the past with another hubber within the community and we thought that it would be an interesting forum topic. If you were to suddenly pass on, wouldn't it be nice to be able to leave your accumulated earnings over the years; to either a fellow writer or family member. No matter how small or large those accumulated may be. Interesting concept and I wanted everyone's view on how feasible, or practical that this idea may be. 

    Jl

    1. Just Ask Susan profile image89
      Just Ask Susanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      This is a great idea as I've wondered what happens to the hubbers earnings after they've died.

      1. inaniLoquence profile image73
        inaniLoquenceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

        In total agreement. smile There should be an emergency contact or something, but this would undoubtedly  create more complication for the HP team, who would have to handle it until the whole thing gets resolved...

  2. Reality Bytes profile image74
    Reality Bytesposted 12 years ago

    I would give them my username and password.   Then they could just place their own analytics code and earn.



    That is my plan.

    Hopefully I can build up a large enough residual income that my grandsons life will be easier.

    1. Glenn Stok profile image97
      Glenn Stokposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Changing your affiliate codes will not help, because a major part of the earnings come through the HP Earnings Program with eBay and soon Amazon included. These go to our PayPal account, which would be frozen upon death.

    2. 2besure profile image78
      2besureposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Great idea Reality!

      1. Reality Bytes profile image74
        Reality Bytesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

        smile  Thanks, my grandson is the reason for living.  At three years old I want him to know his poopah was looking out for him since he was born.  The one and only reason I began doing this internet earnings thing at all.

        One day all of my ramblings will be his.

  3. Gordon Hamilton profile image91
    Gordon Hamiltonposted 12 years ago

    I've looked in to this on and off for a couple of years on the Web in general, though never specifically to Hub Pages. No one has ever been able to give me an answer regarding what would happen to residual online earnings in such circumstances, as a writer's bank account, PayPal account, etcetera would obviously soon be no more.

    Great post and I will definitely be following this thread with interest.

  4. relache profile image72
    relacheposted 12 years ago

    This isn't the first time this discussion has come up.  What happens when a hub author dies depends on what measures they took when they were still alive.

    http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/47931

    http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/86796

    1. Glenn Stok profile image97
      Glenn Stokposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      relache, thanks for posting those links. Those other threads are interesting. I don't see that any conclusion was achieved however. But two things stood out...

      Lisa HW posted some very important questions. Specifically "Does the HP agreement that amounts to someone's Hubs earning money end with someone's death?"

      I also found that KeithTax posted a similar idea to mine. And he explained it well.

  5. melbel profile image95
    melbelposted 12 years ago

    I think that's the responsibility of each user to set up a will for their HubPages account. I suppose that, on the event of the user's death, their account would be allocated to the person they willed it out to. They probably have some sort of legal paperwork that would be sent to HubPages for turnover.

    What I would do is put my username and password in my safety deposit box which would be willed to the person... since obviously I wouldn't be able to tell the person that info. If I don't have a will, I don't know the legality of it, I'll have to ask my attorney.

  6. paradigmsearch profile image60
    paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

    Seems to me that if a will says everything, that means everything, etc...

  7. Chuck Bluestein profile image62
    Chuck Bluesteinposted 12 years ago

    If the money is automatically going into a bank account then the people who get the account get the money. I have gone directly to my bank and set it up so that if I die, then a friend of mine gets my bank account. I have a question for two people above me. What is the key to getting a personal Hub score of 100?

    1. Pcunix profile image90
      Pcunixposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      None of us know what the key is.  I've been there many times and never stay.  As far as I can tell, there is no difference between what I was doing when I had that 100 score, what I was doing before I had it, and what i am doing now.

      It's not for us to know :-)

      1. Gordon Hamilton profile image91
        Gordon Hamiltonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

        A will is obviously a good idea but banking procedures around the world and even from bank to bank will vary. In the UK, when someone dies, the requirement is that the account be closed and a new one opened in the name of any beneficiary due to present tax legislation, which would obviously mean that the account's identifying details will change. Direct credits would therefore be rejected and returned to the originator. Clearly, all sorts of problems could consequently arise.

        Think I should try to figure out who my next of kin is these days and make a will... smile

        1. Hollie Thomas profile image61
          Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Gordon,

          You should write a hub about it!

          1. Jlbowden profile image85
            Jlbowdenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Hello Gordon:

            You know I just might write a hub about it and thanks for giving me the idea. However I cannot take all of the credit. Because this conversation did come up before just as Relache mentioned briefly. Also I spoke with hubber Glenn Stok, at a prior hubpages meetup on Long Island on this topic. I would be glad to get feedback from other hubbers on this site and use some of their ideas to write this article. However I may also ask Glenn if he would like to share in writing the article with me. In fact I had a converstion today about this with Glenn over lunch. We briefly spoke about what may have happened to a recent writer's earnings. It was suggested that either paypal or hubpages may have kept the proceeds after this persons account was closed when he passed on, but than again we do not know this for sure. But so far I want to thank you all for your feedback in reference to this topic and thanks for chiming in. On a separate note...Happy New Year to you all!

            Jlbowden

            1. Glenn Stok profile image97
              Glenn Stokposted 12 years agoin reply to this

              Having given this more thought since I first mentioned it at our last HubMeet, the solution I envision is to file a POD form with HubPages. Paid On Death beneficiary assignments go outside of probate so it doesn't need to be in a Will. 

              Question is, does HP accept POD filings and would it cover continuous residuals if the Hubs of the deceased keep earning money?

              Thanks for starting this thread. I think this is better than writing a Hub. Hopefully HP will chime in on the conversation with their thoughts.

              1. Jlbowden profile image85
                Jlbowdenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                Glenn:

                I think you may be right about not writing a hub about this topic, as useful as it may be to other writers on other platforms besides hubpages. Lets just keep it open for the writers within the hubpages community for now and see if the hubpages staff does chime in and throw their two cents into the booty. Besides there are so many more useful topics to write about which can help others with health and other personal issues they may be facing. Lets get those out of our systems first and onto paper.

                Jl

        2. Marisa Wright profile image87
          Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          I'm pretty sure that's the case in Australia too. 

          The easiest solution would be for your beneficiaries to simply take over your account and maintain them as if you were still alive - something which, I admit, is easier if you've used a pseudonym or nickname rather than your real name. 

          I have all the information about my memberships, passwords, affiliate IDs etc in a safe place - the problem is that my husband would have absolutely no idea how to do anything with them.

          1. Glenn Stok profile image97
            Glenn Stokposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Marisa, That doesn't work because each one of us (in the U.S. anyway) filed a W-9 with HP providing our social security number. When we die our estate is assigned a new SS#. So something needs to be on record to indicate how any future payments are handled.

            A Will may not even work because if there is any confusion, a court can deny probate. I experienced that with my Aunt who passed away last year, so I know how badly these things can turn out. My Aunt had an attorney write her Will, but it still was a mess because certain things were not covered.

            1. Marisa Wright profile image87
              Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

              Ah,that's the advantage of being an overseas Hubber!   I don't even pay tax on my online earnings yet, as they fall below the point where the Aussie tax office wants to know.

            2. Jlbowden profile image85
              Jlbowdenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

              Since I haven't noticed anyone from the hubpages staff chiming in to this forum post yet. Possibly someone, maybe even myself should send them an email and ask the staff members, what their personal view would be in reference to a  situation like this, if it in fact should happen to a hubber. Recently one of our writing members here, Earnesthubs, had passed away on hubpages, which many of us are aware of. So I am wondering what may have happened to what earnings he may have accumulated. Even though this may be personal information to be asking, it never hurts to ask a question. Any additional feedback, or what are others thoughts on this topic?

              Jl

              1. Marisa Wright profile image87
                Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                Ernest was an Aussie.  I've just been through settling my mother-in-law's estate.  Here, collecting payments is as simple as getting the solicitor to write an official letter, with the death certificate, asking for the account to be closed and the money to be paid to the estate.

                However the point is that many of us wouldn't want our account closed down  and the balance paid out - we'd want to transfer it to our beneficiary, so they could go on collecting the revenue in the future.  I think that could be fairly easily done (Ernest helped his daughter in her online business so it's quite possible she would know his passwords), because there aren't the tax implications here that there are for US residents, but it's going to be different in different parts of the world.

    2. Pearldiver profile image66
      Pearldiverposted 12 years ago

      To cut across the various country - country succession laws and to provide a uniform, fair and equitable dispersal requires several steps to be taken:

      A) The establishment of an International Trust (preferably charitable) - Trusteeship and Trust Deeds that allow for multiple Settlors (member authors), group membership contributions and management, beneficiary nomination (to which the members wills are aligned to - not visa versa)and allocation appropriate gifting, viable fee structures etc.

      B) Complete Executed Acceptance of such an entity by publishers, affiliates, advertisers etc.

      C) Flexibility to develop things like 'scholarships' etc along with secondary funding options.

      D) 1005 other finer details.. which require objective structuring.

      This style of entity will develop over time as our world shrinks. However it has the potential to be a Tiger which needs more controls than just a Tail Hold. Now before you guys Shoot Me Down on this post... consider this.. Professionally in this field.. I might actually Know What I'm Talking About..  smile

      Individuals can currently do most of this anyway if they have a Family Trust structure in place and re-establish all relationship agreements between the Trustees and current service providers. But it requires greater openness from those service providers.. and there lies the problem - like HP, most are likely refuse to acknowledge that they have a duty of care to any entities that share the relationship with them! Why? Because that is their Legal Vulnerability! Factually and contrary to any acceptance or denial a duty of care does actually exist.. Get the Drift? yikes

    3. wordscribe43 profile image91
      wordscribe43posted 12 years ago

      I hereby leave all my earnings to Peardiver after I part.  He will be able to have one cup of coffee per week free, on me.  Congrats, Pearly!

      1. Pearldiver profile image66
        Pearldiverposted 12 years agoin reply to this

        Thanks for that Laura... I guess I will also have to walk your Bunny smile

    4. relache profile image72
      relacheposted 12 years ago

      What the personal view of a staff member is would have nothing to do with any of the actual legalities of estate law, inheritance, wills or the like.

      As all monies paid out by HubPages go to PayPal, it's their rules and regulations you should really be investigating, along with the actual laws that govern the state/territory and country where you live.  Not to mention the laws connected to your bank account and electronic transfers in general.

      1. IzzyM profile image86
        IzzyMposted 12 years agoin reply to this

        In a way, but the content here belongs to the writer, so when the writer dies, it belongs to his next-of-kin.

        Now obviously unless those next-of-kin had his email address, username and password of not only his writings, but his Adsense account and Paypal account, then his accumulated earnings will be lost.

        If they do have those details, it is simple matter to write to the aforementioned and tell me them of the demise of the account holder, preferably after the latest payout has occurred.

        THEN, as the articles now belong to them, they could put their own Adsense etc account numbers into the account.

        And this is where a Hubpages staff member could say whether or not it is acceptable to continue to use the same user account, or if a new one needs to be created, not forgetting that a new account loses all the backlinks/status the previous expired account holder had.

        1. relache profile image72
          relacheposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Anyone who can read the TOS has the answers to those questions already.  No need for admin to restate what they've already put in writing.

    5. sunforged profile image70
      sunforgedposted 12 years ago

      Best advice (i think.. i hope so, i followed it!)I had in this matter (it was important to me when I found out I was to have a daughter)

      Beneficiary Controls Trust -> controls Corporation ->corporation is account holder on all accounts including hosting costs and domain renewals etc.

      If "you" die ... the ball keeps rolling

      Thats not specific to HP though, I have no idea what the HP ads TOS are. Your online earnings may not make up for the legal and filing costs the above entails.

      A real issue is whether you have anyone who stands any chance of learning to maintain your networks and sites ... lots of this isnt set and forget, even at HP, another policy change could occur requiring some minor edits or email answering or something or your work could be unpublished. Wait ... thats actually, only at hp! This scenario is yet another good reason to have independently controlled online income sources.


      I was surprised to see this in adsense forums, seems like at least G is willing to continue the relationship - other networks may be happy to stop paying.

      "I've spoken to several of our specialists who handle the account issues of deceased publishers, and they said that the best thing you can do now is to leave your preferences in your will. There's no need to notify the AdSense team directly; we'll ask your heirs for any necessary official documentation and will be more than willing to work with them on a case-by-case basis to ensure that everything is handled in the way you specify.

      We're not able to provide tax or legal advice on this issue, so everyone should talk to an attorney or tax advisor as well, as several of you have suggested. As with any other asset or business, you should also make sure your heirs know of your intentions, whether that include training them to take over your sites and accounts or simply letting them know they exist. It's great to hear that many of you are already doing this. "

      1. Marisa Wright profile image87
        Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

        Yes, I agree that's the real issue.  Even your own websites aren't "set and forget" - there are Wordpress updates, companies dropping their affiliate schemes or changing their links, further Panda updates, etc. 

        Because of that,I think it's unrealistic to expect online assets to continue providing an income long-term, unless one of your heirs has the ability to take them over and actively manage them.  It would probably be better to sell them - which is easier for websites than for Hubs, of course.

        1. Jlbowden profile image85
          Jlbowdenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Hello Marisa, sunforged and all other's that have responded to this post I orignally started. Appreciate all of your thoughts and feedback on this sensitive as well as important issue so far. In addition I have to give this topic some further thought myself. But for now, I am going to take a break from the forum center and writing alltogether. Only for a day or so to enjoy some family over this weekend. Catch up to you all soon and in addition I hope your New Year's is a safe and happy one.

          Jl

    6. profile image0
      oldandwiseposted 12 years ago

      Great in concept, but after one passes their account would be frozen. Only way around that is perhaps change the paypal account to one of your relatives names, prior to death.

    7. Jlbowden profile image85
      Jlbowdenposted 12 years ago

      Old and Wise:

      Thanks for chiming in on the New Year, in reference to this thread that seems to be threading quite well. And an additional thanks to being one of my most recent followers. Your answer in reference to signing over your paypal account; to a family member before you pass on, makes good sense to me. Thanks again and hope your new year is a better one!

      Jl

     
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