How to Choose Your Estate Planning Provider
Your No-Nonsense Guide for 2025 🔍
Let's be real - choosing someone to handle your estate planning feels about as fun as watching paint dry. But here's the tea: picking the right provider is crucial (like, choosing-your-kid’s name crucial 😉).
Whether you go with us or not, here's your ultimate checklist to ensure you're getting the good stuff.
Specialist Knowledge is Everything 🎯 Remember that one module you barely stayed awake through at uni? Well, that's about how much estate planning knowledge some general solicitors have! Look for specialists who eat, sleep, and breathe estate planning. You wouldn't trust a GP to do brain surgery, right? Same energy.
What to look for:
- Providers who focus exclusively on estate planning
- Regular training and updates on estate law
- Experience with modern estate planning challenges
- 🚩 Red Flag: If they treat Will-writing as a side hustle to their main legal practice, maybe keep shopping.
Professional Credentials Matter 📜 Sure, anyone can claim they're an estate planning expert (just like we all claimed to be HTML experts on our first CV 😅). But legitimate credentials? That's the real deal.
Must-haves:
- Registration with the Society of Will Writers (or equivalent). If they don’t have membership with a body, they aren’t held to any standards at all!
- Professional indemnity insurance (ours is with Hiscox, if you’re interested)
- Clear qualifications and continuing education
Pro tip: Ask about their professional memberships. If they dodge the question faster than you dodge your ex at Tesco, that's... concerning.
The Modern Touch 💻 It's 2025, folks. If your estate planner is still using a quill and parchment (or worse, Windows 95), you might want to reconsider. Look for:
- Digital asset protection knowledge
- Secure online systems
- Modern communication methods
- Understanding of cryptocurrency, NFTs and modern digital assets (even if you don't own any... yet)
The Price Tag 💰 Here's where it gets spicy - let's talk money. Estate planning doesn't need to cost the earth, but there are some sneaky costs to watch out for.
Watch out for:
- VAT on top of quoted fees (that's an extra 20% - ouch!)
- Hidden consultation charges
- "Additional" fees for basic services
- Complex pricing structures that need a PhD to understand
Pro tip: Ask for a clear, all-inclusive price upfront. If they're more mysterious about their pricing than the ending of Inception, run!
The Process 🔄 Good estate planning shouldn't feel like trying to solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded.
Green flags:
- Clear timeline for completion
- Straightforward consultation process
- No unnecessary meetings
- Flexibility in communication methods… want to chat to someone great? Want to be left alone to get on with it in your own time? Also great!
Security & Storage 🔒 The information in your Will or LPA is basically the VIP pass to your life's work - it needs Fort Knox-level security.
Essential security features:
- Digital encryption (256-bit is the gold standard)
- Secure storage options
- Clear data protection policies - if they don’t have a data protection policy they can access instantly if you ask, run a mile! (Here’s ours btw)
- Regular security updates
The Human Touch 🤝 While we're all about that digital life, estate planning is still personal. Your provider should make you feel heard, not like you're talking to a chatbot (no shade to our AI friends).
Look for:
- Clear, jargon-free communication
- Willingness to answer questions
- Respect for your time
- Understanding of your unique situation Red
Flags to Watch For 🚨
- Pressure to make quick decisions
- One-size-fits-all solutions
- Reluctance to explain fees
- Outdated approaches to modern assets
- More excuses than your ex
The Bottom Line 💫
Choosing an estate planning provider is like picking a good avocado - it takes some know-how, but get it right and it's totally worth it. Look for someone who combines professional expertise with modern methods, clear pricing, and solid security.
Remember: Your estate plan is about protecting your legacy and loved ones. It's worth taking the time to find someone who'll do it right. Ready to start your estate planning journey? Whether you choose us or another provider, make sure they tick these boxes. Your future self (and your loved ones) will thank you! 🙌
