Digital Assets and your Will

The use of digital assets and online access to assets has grown significantly in recent years – most of us have access to emails, photos stored online and maybe even social media accounts The value of digital assets can vary, and many people think that they hold sentimental value – it is therefore essential to ensure that you include your digital assets in your Will so that you can make certain they are passed on to your beneficiaries

What are digital assets?

Although there is no set definition of what is and is not a digital asset, they tend to range from tangible assets like phones and laptops to non-tangible assets like your PayPal accounts, cryptocurrency, photos stored online, emails, and social media accounts

Digital assets can be valuable in a monetary and/or sentimental sense

Do you need to include digital assets in your will?

If you want to ensure that your digital assets go to the person you would like, it is crucial to include them in your will. If they are not specifically given to a beneficiary, they will remain part of your residuary estate

Another reason to include digital assets in your will is to ensure that your Executors are aware of them Many people fail to include them in their will and they are then forgotten about If you have a digital asset that is valuable to you, you should draw it to your executors’ attention to ensure that they are able to access your account to retrieve information and/or close your accounts

For digital assets with monetary value, your executors will need to have access details to ensure they can verify the assets and establish the value for tax purposes, as your Executors will have to give details of all your assets (including digital assets) when providing this information to HMRC and the Probate Registry when applying for a Grant of Probate Keeping an up-to-date record of your online accounts with access details is recommended as there are often difficulties for executors when it comes to accessing digital assets

Tangible assets like laptops will be considered as part of one’s personal effects in your Estate however this does not mean that everything stored on your laptop is automatically included unless specifically given to a beneficiary Digital assets such as emails and photos might not be readily accessible to your Executors, therefore if you want these to pass to a specific beneficiary it is recommended to leave instructions as to how to gain access to them

Social media accounts prove difficult to access following the account holder ’s death and the requirements vary between providers so it is recommended that you consider this as fulfilling the requirements can be time-consuming

If you want to leave any of your digital assets to a particular person, you should include instructions in your will (or in a letter with your will)

What happens if you do not include digital assets in your will?

Without a will your digital assets will pass to the person as per the rules of intestacy There is also a risk of your non-tangible digital assets being overlooked

At Clapham & Collinge we have a dedicated team of experts who are able to provide you with all the necessary information, support and legal advice relating to claims for provisions for family and dependents Our legal advice is bespoke, confidential, and designed around you, helping you reach the best outcome. If you would like to seek advice on Wills, Probate, Lasting Powers of Attorney or any other private client related matter, please contact our dedicated Client Relations team on 01603 693510, or email enquiries@clapham-collinge.co.uk.

This article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or professional advice

As always, we’re here for you if you need us. To arrange an appointment, contact our dedicated Client Relations Team today.

The Museum of the Broads opens for 2023!

We can’t wait to welcome visitors again from Thursday 30 March.

Our special exhibition is on Broadland artist, Philippa Miller During her long life, Miss Miller was inspired by the Broads to paint and sketch, to make films, to research village signs and to create miniatures

The exhibition shows her personal response to the landscape she knew and loved and is complemented by her own words from the diaries and journals she left behind Miss Miller is also known for her sketches of the bomb damage done to Norwich during the Second World War, but it is her depictions of the Broads that are her true legacy Don’t miss this tribute to a true artist of the Broads Discover how a marshman’s family lived, see inside a holiday bungalow, and find out more about cobblers and sail makers Other displays have changed too, there are new family activities, and our old favourites, our trip boats, will be running again too

We welcome groups, are introducing new combined Museum and boat tickets, and all 12s and under come to the Museum for free So, what are you waiting for? We look forward to welcoming you to our historic and unique setting by the river!

The Museum of the Broads, Poor ’s Staithe, Stalham, NR12 9DA, 01692 581681 www museumofthebroads org uk @MuseumBroads on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

Aylsham & District Flower Club

Flower Club promotional event in Aylsham Town Hall on Saturday 1st April 9am – 12.30. Craft Stalls, Tombola, and mini flower demonstration during the morning. Sales table with floral sundries Free admission Coffee /tea and biscuits available Why not come along, meet some of our members and find out more about Aylsham and District Flower Club which is celebrating its 70th Year?

Monthly meeting as usual in Aylsham Town Hall will take place on Wednesday 12th April for demonstration by Elizabeth Robertson from Ely “My family and other animals” 7pm for 7 30 tea/ coffee on arrival Flower of the month competition and Raffle of arrangements All welcome Subscriptions for year have been increased due to rising costs £33 Visitors £8

Spring garden visit on Thursday 27th April to The Old Rectory Catfield NR27 5DA £10 inc afternoon tea Meet at 2 pm, please contact Crystal Dyball: 01603 291190 if you would like to join us as money needs to be collected in advance

Wandering Minstrels

The well-known singing group ‘The Wandering Minstrels’ will present ‘The World of Gilbert & Sullivan’ in St Michael and All Angels Church, Aylsham on Saturday 15 April at 7 00pm

They will sing, act and dance their way through many of The Savoy Operas including “Iolanthe”, “The Mikado”, “HMS Pinafore”, “The Gondoliers”, “The Yeomen of the Guard”, “Utopia, Limited”, “The Sorcerer” and “Patience” Artistes appearing in this Gala concert are Alexandra Ferrari, Emma Stratton, Charles Mills, Stephen Godward and Tim Hurst-Brown, with Peter Hewitt at the piano

The Wandering Minstrels have been delighting audiences throughout East Anglia and the East Midlands for many years and have helped to raise almost half a million pounds for various charitable causes as a result of their popular Gilbert and Sullivan concerts Their light-hearted evenings of excerpts from The Savoy Operas, beautifully sung and delightfully staged, are events to remember This talented company has built up an enviable reputation as a leading G&S ensemble and they are much in demand.

Concert tickets are £12 and are available on Eventbrite, from Postles in Aylsham marketplace or on the door The event is a must for G&S fans, so members of the public are advised to purchase tickets early to avoid disappointment This is the company’s fourth visit to Aylsham – don’t miss what promises to be a fun-filled evening!

North Walsham & Bradfield Flower Club

Our club meets every 4th Thursday of the month We meet at the Catholic Church Hall, North Walsham at 2pm for a cuppa & biscuits

We have a floral demonstrator giving inspirations with their amazing designs We’re a friendly, happy group all sharing the joy of flowers

An annual subscription is £30 Visitors £6

Join us as we celebrate our 65th Anniversary Contact Marilyn on 01692404661 for further details

New Dates for New Stages

Cabaret and Mother ’s Day event to launch new season at North Walsham People’s Theatre

Quirky cabaret will launch the new season of theatre shows and workshops at the popular town centre pop-up theatre, which is based at the Black Swan North Walsham People’s Theatre will host Caboodle Cabaret on Saturday 18th March, which promises mayhem and the unexpected with songs plot twists in between Audiences are encouraged to come along smartly dressed or with a vintage look, to enjoy the ambience, seated round tables, of cabaret of the bygone days The show starts at 8pm with 7pm doors and tickets cost £12 each, for over 18s only

A special event called Sunday Songs and Piano will take place on the afternoon of Sunday 19th March at 4pm as the theatre will be transformed to a piano lounge It’s a new idea for Mother ’s Day, taking loved ones out to the theatre or gifting them tickets All tickets are £10 and include tea and cake alongside the relaxed entertainment from Joseph Ballard, accompanied by pianist Jane Everard

Joseph Ballard, Director of New Stages said: “I hope there is a bit of something for everyone as we have released our programme of shows and workshops for the year – right up to New Year ’s Eve! We are heartily grateful to the Black Swan for supporting us and the community for responding so well to shows so far Caboodle Cabaret is one of my favourites, but I’m also excited about our special Mother ’s Day event too!”

Two more shows confirmed are Damned If I Do on Saturday 15th April, when ‘international songstress’ Titania Trust returns to the theatre’s stage (after enchanting audiences in the pantomime) with a show all about the ups and downs of stage life and how comedy and song can cheer us all up Curious Tales and Unusual Phenomena explored the supernatural and magic of the Victorian era, which takes place on Saturday 10th June

The theatre also encourages participation in their classes and workshops A 3-week course of Acting for Adults will take place on Thursday evenings starting on 23rd March No previous experience is necessary, and the friendly welcoming sessions will also help build confidence and find out more about the theatre’s plans

Dates of workshops for children and young people with North Norfolk Youth Theatre have also been released, offering half-day or full-day workshops in the school holidays over Easter, whilst also welcoming interest for regular weekly sessions

You can book tickets or find out more about upcoming shows and classes at www.newstages.co.uk or call 01603 850373.