You’ve got a lot of options available to you for writing a Will in 2019, all of which are easily accessible, some even from the comfort of your own home. There are many different professionals for you to choose from such as members of The Society of Will Writers, Solicitors, IFAs or the plethora of other Will Writing firms that are out there. You also have online services, or you could even write your Will yourself using a DIY kit. However, there are still some two thirds of the UK’s adult population which don’t have a valid Will so with so many options available why doesn’t everybody have one, and which is the best route to choose?
Regulated vs. Unregulated
It’s necessary to point out at this point that the Will Writing profession isn’t regulated by statute which means that anyone can advertise themselves as a Will Writer and they don’t have to be a part of any governing body. This doesn’t mean to say that no Will Writers are regulated and that’s where we come in.
No longer are solicitors your only option when looking for a professional to write your Will. The Society of Will Writers was formed in 1994 and has been instrumental in the development of the Will Writing profession. Our form of regulation is entirely voluntary and this means that anyone who wants to become, or is already a Will Writer (solicitors and other professionals included), can join our Society so that we can provide them with the necessary training and support, as well as enforcing our own mandatory requirements such as Professional Indemnity Insurance and adherence to our Code of Practice. It also means that if in the unfortunate event that something does go wrong, the consumer is protected and has access to redress through our own complaints handling procedure. The Society is always on hand to provide support and assistance not only to our members, but the wider public as well through our free public helpline.
We currently have over 1,600 members who have willingly signed up to self-regulation based across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and even further afield in Central Europe, Asia and the Middle East, taking the Society’s values truly global. Members of the Society are experts in what they do as being Will Writers and Professional Estate Planners means for the most part, it’s all they do. Our members can offer the most current advice, often from the comfort of your own home, no matter where you’re based.
DIY Wills
We’ve looked at DIY Wills in depth a few times before and truthfully, we’d strongly advise against this option. If you make any mistakes whilst writing your Will and you don’t realise before you’re able to write a new one, there could be questions regarding your intentions or problems executing your Will when you’ve died. This may result in your estate not being distributed how you would have liked which could easily cause unnecessary problems and upset for your loved ones during what will undoubtedly be a difficult time.
Given the complexity of modern families, a simple or DIY Will may not be suitable. We always say there is no one-size fits-all when it comes to Wills so we recommend in all cases to seek the advice and the services of a professional to ensure that your wishes are correctly recorded.
To speak to a member of the Society near to you, visit our find a member page or call us on 01522 687888.
