Estate Planning Software Guide

Professional software is essential for estate planners. For starting your practice, see our How to Start a Will Writing Business guide. Here's why software matters:

Document quality:

• •Consistent, professional formatting
• •Legally compliant clauses
• •Proper execution pages
• •Witness requirements included

Efficiency:

• •Templates for common situations
• •Auto-population of client details
• •Quick document generation
• •Reduced drafting time

Accuracy:

• •Built-in compliance checks
• •Standard clauses tested
• •Reduced error risk
• •Updates when law changes

Practice management:

• •Client records
• •Document storage
• •Progress tracking
• •Follow-up reminders

Professional image:

• •Branded documents
• •Consistent presentation
• •Client confidence

Don't use Word templates:

• •Risk of errors
• •Inconsistent formatting
• •No compliance checking
• •Unprofessional appearance
• •Liability concerns

When evaluating estate planning software, consider these features:

Document generation:

• •Wills (single and mirror)
• •Lasting Powers of Attorney
• •Trust documents
• •Letters of wishes
• •Client care letters
• •Will review letters

Customisation:

• •Editable clauses
• •Adding bespoke provisions
• •Branding options
• •Multiple document styles

Client management:

• •Contact database
• •Case tracking
• •Document storage
• •Notes and history
• •Search and filter

Compliance:

• •Up-to-date legal content
• •Execution instructions
• •Certificate provider guidance
• •Office of the Public Guardian integration

Workflow:

• •Progress tracking
• •Reminder systems
• •Task management
• •Team features (if applicable)

Integration:

• •Accounting software
• •Calendar systems
• •Email integration
• •Cloud storage

Support:

• •Training provided
• •Help documentation
• •Customer support
• •Updates and maintenance

We teach WILLO in our free WILLO with Ease course and include it for 4 months in our Business Start-Up Package:

Why we chose WILLO:

• •Designed specifically for estate planners
• •Comprehensive document generation
• •Built-in compliance
• •Regular updates
• •Excellent support

Key features:

• •Full suite of estate planning documents
• •Practice management tools
• •Client portal option
• •Cloud-based access
• •Mobile friendly

How it works with our training:

• •Free WILLO with Ease course, and WILLO included for 4 months in the Business Start-Up Package
• •Learn on the actual tool you'll use
• •Ongoing support available
• •Familiar system from day one

The advantage:

Starting with professional software from day one means:

• •No bad habits to unlearn
• •Professional documents immediately
• •Confidence in compliance
• •Focus on clients, not admin

Cost:

Software is included with training. Ongoing costs depend on your chosen package.

If evaluating software independently, here's how to decide:

Key questions:

1. Does it produce all documents I need?

2. Is it kept legally current?

3. What training/support is available?

4. What's the total cost of ownership?

5. Can I try before buying?

6. What do other practitioners say?

Cost considerations:

• •Initial purchase/setup
• •Monthly/annual fees
• •Per-document costs
• •Support costs
• •Update costs

Total cost analysis:

Don't just look at headline price. Consider:

• •Time saved per document
• •Error reduction value
• •Professional image benefit
• •Learning curve

Avoid:

• •Free or very cheap options (usually inadequate)
• •Overly complex enterprise software
• •Systems not updated for UK law
• •Poor support options

Our recommendation:

Training with software access (like WILLO, included for 4 months in our Business Start-Up Package, then £150/month) gives the best start. You learn on the system you'll use, with support built in.