All Types of Subscriptions

Most of us have subscriptions to a number of information and/or service provider platforms that we pay on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. In general, we subscribe to these membership by authorizing an automated payment, either against a credit card or as a direct debit from a checking or transaction account. 

In addition to managing the subscriptions as per the instructions below, you will need to ensure - in all cases - that the automatic payments cease at your death. 

As part of the information you leave with your financial accounts, we recommend that you include a list of these regular payments that will need to be stopped. Often, without even realizing it, we seem to sign up for new subscriptions or memberships. 

To prepare for your own passing, or as the Executor/Executrix or Person-in-Charge (PIC) for someone who has passed, handling subscriptions, memberships, and loyalty programs can be one of the easier steps to manage. 

Mostly, the deceased no longer needs the membership or subscription.

However, there are several steps that must be taken to ensure that the account is closed in a timely manner so that payments are not debited from a credit card or bank account. 

Also, any residual value needs to be handled appropriately. Sometimes, partial credit may be available. With some memberships, "points" can be transferred to the closest family member.If customers can’t find it, it doesn’t exist. 

Many of us subscribe - either for print and/or online versions - to various information providers, such as:

• Newspapers and Magazines
• Comic Books
• Professional Journals
• Book Clubs
• Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, or Spotify
• Cable Television
• Cell Phones

Some of these are monthly payments such as newspapers, and other are annual payments, such as Amazon Prime. 

As part of your regular review of recurring costs, you will want to cancel any that you do not use, as you downsize and look to reduce expenses. 

If you have made a list of these providers for your Executor/Executrix or Person-in-Charge (PIC) at the time of your passing, be sure to keep the list current with:

• Your login ID/membership ID and password
• Amount of the recurring payment
• Where the payments are debited - a credit card or direct debit (which may be      facilitated through your debit card)
• How to contact the provider

 In the last several years, "box" delivery subscriptions have grown exponentially, including:

• Pet supplies and products, such as Chewy, PrettyLitter, or Bark Box
• Cosmetic or fashion boxes, such as Stitch Fix, beauteque monthly, Trunk Club or      Fabletics
• Fabric of the month club (for stitchers like me...)
• Wine Clubs

As with subscriptions, you will need to leave a list of these for your PIC, and include the same information:

• Your login/membership ID and password
• Amount and frequency of the recurring payment
• Where the payments are debited - a card or direct debit (which may be facilitated      through your debit card)
• How to contact the provider

Americans are addicted to membership programs and "point" crazy! I say this returning to the U.S. after living in Europe for 12 years. The work that people do to earn the most "points" - of anything! - could qualify as a full time job! This translates into joining a number of loyalty programs:

• Airline frequent flyer programs
• Hotel frequent sleeper programs
• Chocolate consumption programs
• Office supply super stores, such as Staples and Office Depot
• Food consumption programs, like Panera or Starbucks
• Credit card point program

The ones listed above accrue inherent value of some kind, either for free travel or hotel rooms, free food and/or drinks, or purchasing power from a defined catalogue. 

You will need to ensure that a list of these program memberships, including your Membership ID and passcode are available to your Executor/Executrix or PIC. 

If you are survived by a spouse or immediate family members, these points can normally be transferred to close family members. Subsequently, they may benefit from the points you accrued.

We are a social species, and we tend to join clubs that are labelled as clubs, and sometimes hide behind other names. Be sure to list any memberships that you have, such as:

• Country and/or golf clubs
• Social clubs - bridge club or mahjong group
• Professional organizations
• Alumni groups or other groups organized around a shared interest - AARP, AAA, etc.
• Religious organizations
• Museums, symphony, theatre or ballet memberships
• Big Box stores, such as Costco or Sam's Club

There are many other types of clubs, but the focus here is on those that charge a membership fee of some kind, which may be automatically debited from your account. As we have recommended above, please ensure that you have provided a list with:

• Your login ID/membership ID and password
• Amount and frequency of the recurring charge
• Where the payments are debited