Online Will Writing Service
Andrew Morgan is a partner and Head of Private Client at Stephen Rimmer Solicitors. You can contact Andrew by calling 01323 434414 or emailing andrew.morgan@stephenrimmer.com
The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) has put out a warning to people looking to get their affairs in order about the danger of low-cost online wills and has urged people to choose their providers carefully, as will writing in England and Wales is not regulated.
STEP has highlighted that there are many unqualified and unregulated “cowboy” will writers and estate planners offering low cost online services.
The body is campaigning so that both those who write wills and those who administer estates professionally should be properly qualified to ensure minimum standards of competence and behaviour, and to give the public protection in the form of professional indemnity insurance and business continuity arrangements that you get with Regulated Law Firms.
Members of STEP abide by their “will code” when they write wills and is a set of ethical principles that demonstrate openly the standard of transparency and service you can expect from a STEP member preparing a Will.
The head of professional standards at STEP, Sarah Manuel says “Low cost online wills might make sense to those with straightforward needs and modest estates, but we’re urging people to take into consideration the consequences of using unqualified or unregulated practitioners”
“Where cases involve large or complex estates, divorce or remarriage, property abroad or a business, we’d urge people to seek an experienced professional to make sure wills are drawn up properly and charges are clearly explained from the outset.
“This is especially important where there are vulnerable people who require special support that offers careful planning, and to ensure assets don’t pass to the wrong people.”
You can start your Will online today with a regulated law firm with lawyers who are STEP qualified by following the link below