Copyright law states that a copyrighted work is covered by law until 70 years after the death of the copyright holder. If you die, the copyright then passes to your heirs, which may be chosen by you via a will or other legal document, or is considered as general assets by law and distributed as per usual inheritance law.

Any licences still therefore remain in effect, if they exist, after your death. Heirs may regain ownership or rights under certain circumstances, for example if they are making a family provisions claim or another claim against your estate.

Things you may not consider valuable may be of interest to future generations, for example diaries, unpublished manuscripts, artworks, and letters. If you have work of this nature, it can pay to be specific about who the copyright holder to this work is in your will, since this work may get into unintended hands after a few years in a dusty attic. Toddlers become curious teenagers, who become interested; someone in your family wants to publish something that is contested by other family members; something you have written or made is controversial to the family; or other grey areas may reveal themselves, possibly many years after your death.

If you need help clarifying exactly what you should and shouldn’t protect for future generations, contact Vanessa Ash for a free, confidential chat about your circumstances.

Write your own story. Call Vanessa Ash and Associates today.