Every day, Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) critical care paramedics, doctors & pilots respond to around ten emergency missions. They land fast at the scene of road traffic collisions, falls at home, strokes, cardiac arrests, sports injuries & industrial incidents. Wherever they’re needed. Whatever the call. They also operate the region’s critical care cars.

Surprisingly, they don’t get a penny from the government or the National Lottery for their daily missions. Each mission costs £2,300 & every pound comes from donations.

Our private client team see many of our Will clients wishing to leave a legacy donation in their Will to both local & national charities. Gifts in Wills are vital for most charities. Despite this, a good many people aren’t even aware of this form of giving.

If this is something you are thinking of & you require Will services, then please get in touch with one of our highly experienced & friendly team.

The post Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance appeared first on Brindley Twist Tafft & James.

Saher, who is based in our Balsall Common office, joined BTTJ in February, after developing her career at other law firms across Warwickshire.

She has quickly impressed partners and colleagues and has now been promoted to become head of the firm’s private client department.

Saher will still be based at Balsall Common but will work across all four of the firm’s offices with the team.

Richard Stanford, managing partner for the private client team, said: “Saher has made a real impact since joining us, bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge that has benefited the company and our clients.

“We are therefore very pleased to reward her efforts with this promotion. She will now be working closely with the team and the partners to develop the department further.”

Saher first qualified as a solicitor in 2002 and became an expert advisor on Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, estate planning and the administration of estates, gaining her TEP qualification from the Society of Trust and Estates Practitioners (STEP).

She said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time here at BTTJ since February, and I’m now looking forward to working with the partners to lead and develop a team that already has an excellent reputation.”

Congratulations Saher, from all of your colleagues at BTTJ!

The post Saher Iqbal promoted to Head of Department appeared first on Brindley Twist Tafft & James.

The post New member of our Private Client team appeared first on Brindley Twist Tafft & James.

Before joining us, Mason was a Family Legal Assistant at a local law firm and has a strong background in Family and Matrimonial law. Previous to this, Mason has also worked within Residential Conveyancing.

Mason studied History at Coventry University, attaining a 1^st Class Honours degree alongside a Course Tutor’s Prize for Excellence and Endeavour. With a keen interest and experience in law, he is currently preparing to sit SQE1 and SQE2 in 2026 alongside working in his role as a Paralegal, as part of his aspiration to qualify as a Solicitor.

Mason is a member of the Warwickshire Law Society Warwickshire Junior Lawyers Division.

Welcome to the team Mason! From all at BTTJ

The post New member of our Private Client Team – Mason Hallam appeared first on Brindley Twist Tafft & James.

Lead Solicitor Helen Strong, says many people think digital assets are just NFTs and cryptocurrency.

“During the initial stages of putting a Will together we ask about digital assets and most people wave us on saying they don’t have any, thinking they don’t need to worry about them.

However, the truth is far more complicated because virtually all of us have an extensive digital footprint that must be taken into account.   Professionals and business owners may have business-critical access to data, such as information held in an email account or a password-protected database, document, or trading account.

It therefore may be wise to nominate a digital executor or manager who can access and manage your digital assets after your passing. You may also wish for a beneficiary to have access to social media accounts, subscription services, and online shopping accounts.”

Helen recommends leaving a list of passwords and usernames in a secure place for the executors – and ensure you tell your executors where to find it – as access issues can cause serious problems and delays. She also advises you to regularly backup your digital assets to the cloud and/or a portable storage device.

If you own cryptocurrency, be careful to leave instructions and security data for your cryptocurrency wallet.

“We have all seen the news stories of people who have lost log-in data or personal electronics that held valuable Bitcoin and have no proof of ownership or way of accessing it. Don’t let that happen to your beneficiaries.

Then there are more personal access issues, such as photos stored digitally on the cloud and whether social media accounts are shut down or memorialised.

Coping with death is hard enough as it is for trustees and your loved ones, and incorporating digital assets into your post-death planning will remove a potentially upsetting complication or barrier to the estate administration.”

If you require Will services, then please get in touch with one of our highly experienced and friendly team.  

Our Will specialists will take the time to understand your individual circumstances and will provide you with tailored advice.

The post Yes, you do have digital assets! Think tech when you make a Will appeared first on Brindley Twist Tafft & James.

Saher joined us today as a Solicitor in our Private Client Department, based in our Balsall Common office.

Saher qualified as a solicitor in 2002 and has gained TEP qualification from the Society of Trust and Estates Practitioners (STEP).

She is able to advise on Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Estate Planning.  Saher also deals with the administration of estates.

Saher spends 100% of her time dealing with Private Client matters.

Welcome to the firm Saher, from all at BTTJ!

The post New member of our Private Client Team – Saher Iqbal appeared first on Brindley Twist Tafft & James.

Jaz Virk, Solicitor and Head of our Private Client team says:

“We’re delighted to be part of this year’s Remember A Charity Week.

We know that leaving a gift in this way can not only be an important way of supporting good causes, but it’s such a rewarding way for our clients to give back.”

Offering generous tax incentives, this form of charitable giving is on the rise, and provides essential funding for vital services across the country – both now and for future generations. In fact, around £3 in every £10 donated to charity comes through gifts in Wills. Within the current economic climate, these donations make a huge difference and really have become crucial for thousands of charities and community organisations. In fact, some of the nation’s most loved charities simply wouldn’t exist without such gifts.

Thanks to the generous acts of everyday people, the UK ‘Willanthropy’ movement continues to grow – with around 100 people a day across the UK now choosing to leave a gift to charity in their Will. By working together with Remember A Charity, BTTJ hopes to inspire even more clients to consider what they wish to be remembered for.

Remember A Charity Week (9-15 September 2024) is an annual celebration of the power and impact of legacy giving. Throughout the week, campaign partners, solicitors, Will-writers, charities and others will be championing the legacy message, encouraging people across the country to help build a brighter future by leaving a gift in their Will.

If you’ve not got round to the important task of making your Will yet, or have an existing Will which needs updating, please contact our friendly Private Client Team, with offices in Coventry, Warwick, Balsall Common & Southam we are happy to assist.

The post BTTJ joins Charities and Legal Professionals Across the UK to Celebrate Remember A Charity Week appeared first on Brindley Twist Tafft & James.

Should you find yourself in a position in the future where you lack mental capacity for any reason (such as dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, or you are involved an accident), and you do not have a Lasting Power of Attorney (sometimes known as an LPA) in place, then no one can act on your behalf and make decisions for you.

Unless you have a Lasting Power of Attorney in place, then no one has the legal right to assist you, unless a Court order is applied for and obtained. This is known as a Deputyship Order.

A Deputyship Order is an Order issued by the Court of Protection to appoint someone to act as your Deputy.  The process to obtain such Order is both extremely lengthy and costly and can easily be avoided should you have a Lasting Power of Attorney in place.

Please do not hesitate to contact our friendly Private Client team who will happily talk you through the importance of a Lasting Power of Attorney and assist you (or a loved one) with obtaining the same, if required.

The post What happens if you do not have a Power of Attorney? appeared first on Brindley Twist Tafft & James.

Still, there’s often a lack of awareness around this form of charitable giving, with uncertainty around how it works, how much to give and how to fit donations around gifts for family and friends. That’s why we’ve signed up to Remember A Charity’s campaign charter, working together as part of this national network to help everyone understand the options open to them when writing their Will.

One of the most rewarding ways to give, 100 people across the UK[2] now write a charitable gift into their Will each day, funding vital services across the country.

Gifts in Wills are tax-free, effectively increasing the Inheritance Tax threshold on donors’ estates. And for people that choose to donate 10% of their estate or more, this reduces the rate of Inheritance Tax down from 40% to 36%, which can amount to a considerable reduction on larger estates.

BTTJ’s Lead Private Client Solicitor, Helen Strong, commented: “We are delighted to support such a worthwhile initiative. Not only is it a means of leaving a legacy, but it also helps to alleviate Inheritance Tax, which is often a concern to our clients.”

Allan Freeman, Chair of Remember A Charity – a consortium of 200 UK charities, adds: “Gifts in Wills have a phenomenal impact on charitable causes across the UK, whether that’s a case of funding medical research or shelters for those suffering from abuse, mental health helplines or keeping local the theatre open. Particularly in recent times, that income has never been more important, helping charities to sustain and even increase services to help those in need.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to have a lasting positive imprint, leaving the world a better place for future generations.”

Contact our friendly Private Client team to find out more or visit www.rememberacharity.org.uk for inspirational stories about the impact of gifts in Wills.

[1] Smee & Ford 2020

[2] Smee & Ford 2020

The post Proud to champion gifts in Wills appeared first on Brindley Twist Tafft & James.

Here at Brindley Twist Tafft & James, we offer an understanding and sympathetic approach to help you deal with these matters.

The first steps to take when someone dies is to register the death and to arrange the funeral.

The next stage is to ascertain who is eligible to sort out the person’s property and assets. This could be a person appointed in a Will if the person who has passed away left one, or it might be their nearest blood relative if there is no Will. This person is called the personal representative (“PR”).

The next step is to establish what assets and liabilities that person had. Depending on the value and complexity of those assets, a grant of probate or letters of administration (“a grant”) issued by the probate court may be required.  A grant is the PR’s legal authority to cash in or transfer those assets to the beneficiaries.  As part of the probate process, the PR will need to work out if there is any inheritance tax to pay. This will depend on the value of the estate and who it is passing to under the Will or the rules of intestacy. 

We recommend that you seek professional advice to ensure the correct process and rules are followed.  Please contact our friendly and supportive Private Client Department who will be happy to talk you through the processes involved. 

The post What do I need to do when someone dies? appeared first on Brindley Twist Tafft & James.