Will Writing Company vs Going Independent: The Full Comparison

Will writing companies come in many forms, from large nationals to small local firms. Let's be fair about what they offer — and what they cost you.

What companies provide:

• •An established brand name
• •Client leads (through their marketing)
• •Software and templates
• •Professional indemnity insurance
• •Initial training (usually)
• •Some level of ongoing support
• •A structure to work within

What this actually costs you:

• •50-70% of every fee you earn (the "commission split")
• •Control over your schedule and work patterns
• •Ownership of your client relationships
• •Freedom to set your own prices
• •Ability to expand your services
• •Your professional identity (clients see the company brand, not you)
• •Long-term business value (you build nothing of your own)

The employment models:

Employed (salary + bonus):

• •Salary: £22,000-£42,000
• •Bonus: variable, often modest
• •You work set hours, set areas
• •Company owns everything

Self-employed (for a company):

• •Commission: 25-50% of fees
• •You find the clients (sometimes) or they provide leads
• •You're "self-employed" but can't truly run your own business
• •Often tied by exclusive agreements

Commission-only:

• •Higher commission (40-60%) but no guaranteed income
• •Still bound by company pricing, processes, and restrictions
• •All the risk of self-employment, none of the freedom

The fundamental question: In any of these models, are you building YOUR future or THEIRS?

INCOME:

| Factor | Company | Independent |

|--------|---------|-------------|

| Will fee to client | £300-£500 | £250-£500 |

| Your take per will | £75-£250 | £250-£500 |

| LPA fee (if offered) | Often not available | £300-£650 |

| Trust fee (if offered) | Often not available | £500-£2,000 |

| Annual income (typical) | £22,000-£45,000 | £50,000-£150,000+ |

| Income cap | Yes (salary/commission limits) | No |

CONTROL:

| Factor | Company | Independent |

|--------|---------|-------------|

| Set your own hours | No | Yes |

| Choose your clients | No | Yes |

| Set your prices | No | Yes |

| Choose your services | No | Yes |

| Take holidays when you want | Limited | Yes |

| Work from home | Sometimes | Always |

| Choose your software | No | Yes |

| Decide your marketing | No | Yes |

OWNERSHIP:

| Factor | Company | Independent |

|--------|---------|-------------|

| Client relationships | Company owns | You own |

| Business value | None (it's theirs) | Yours (sellable) |

| Brand reputation | Company's | Yours |

| Reviews and testimonials | Company's profile | Your profile |

| Referral partnerships | Company's | Yours |

LIFESTYLE:

| Factor | Company | Independent |

|--------|---------|-------------|

| Commute | Often required | None |

| School run compatibility | Difficult | Easy |

| Holiday flexibility | Limited | Complete |

| Evening/weekend work | Often expected | Your choice |

| Work-life balance | Company decides | You decide |

| Stress level | Targets, politics | Self-directed |

GROWTH:

| Factor | Company | Independent |

|--------|---------|-------------|

| Service expansion | Restricted | Unlimited |

| Income growth potential | Limited | Unlimited |

| Professional development | Company chooses | You choose |

| Career progression | Management track | Whatever you want |

| Passive income potential | None | Review fees, storage, etc. |

| Exit strategy | Resignation | Sell your business |

Most employed will writers think employment is "safer" than independence. Let's challenge that:

Risks of staying employed:

• •Company goes bust (you lose everything — wages, clients, reputation)
• •You get made redundant (no client base to fall back on)
• •Company changes terms (lower commission, worse territory)
• •Management changes (new boss, new targets, new culture)
• •Company gets bought (new owners, new rules)
• •You become stuck (skills stagnate, too comfortable to move)
• •Industry changes (company can't adapt, you go down with them)

Risks of going independent:

• •Slow start while building client base (mitigated by starting alongside employment)
• •Variable income months (mitigated by buffer savings and diversified referral sources)
• •Doing your own admin (mitigated by WILLO software)
• •Finding your own clients (mitigated by referral partnerships and training)
• •No sick pay (mitigated by income protection insurance if desired)

The real comparison:

• •Employment risk: CONCENTRATED in one company (if they fail, you fail)
• •Independence risk: DIVERSIFIED across many clients and referral sources (losing one doesn't matter)

Which is actually safer?

An independent estate planner with 10 referral partners, 200+ past clients, and a strong reputation is FAR more secure than an employee dependent on one company for their entire income. If one referral source dries up, others continue. If you lose a client, you have dozens more.

The ultimate safety net: Your skills. Once you know how to draft wills, LPAs, and trusts — once you know how to find and serve clients — nobody can take that away. Whether you work for a company or independently, your expertise has value. But independently, that value flows directly to YOU.

Answer these questions honestly:

You should stay employed if:

• •You genuinely don't want the responsibility of running a business
• •You're happy with your income and don't want more
• •You value the social aspects of working for a company
• •You're within 1-2 years of retirement and don't want change
• •You have no desire to offer LPAs, trusts, or other services
• •You're content building someone else's business

You should consider independence if:

• •You feel frustrated by your income relative to the work you do
• •You want to control your own schedule and work-life balance
• •You'd like to offer more services (LPAs, trusts, IHT planning)
• •You feel you're building the company's reputation, not your own
• •You want to work fewer hours for more money
• •You have an entrepreneurial desire to build something of your own
• •You want to earn based on your effort, not a salary band

The transition doesn't have to be sudden:

1. Complete our free training (while employed)

2. Get familiar with WILLO software (while employed)

3. Build your network and referral partnerships (while employed)

4. Take your first few independent cases (if contract allows)

5. Decide based on experience, not fear

What most people find:

• •The fear of independence is worse than the reality
• •Client acquisition is easier than expected
• •Income grows faster than expected
• •The lifestyle improvement is immediate and significant
• •They wish they'd done it years ago

Ready to explore? Register for free training at Become an Estate Planner. Complete the programme, experience WILLO software, and make an informed decision. There's zero commitment and zero risk in finding out what independence could look like for you.