What are your Will-writing options?
You can prepare a Will yourself, use a template-based service, choose a professional Will writer or instruct a solicitor. Compare the level of advice and support as well as the price. A document that looks straightforward may still need careful work around property, children or a previous relationship.
This page helps you choose a service. For the actual planning and signing steps, use how to make a Will; to compare Xwills document options, visit our Wills service page.
Check who is providing the service
Will writing is not itself a reserved legal activity in England and Wales. A professional Will writer and a regulated solicitor are not the same category of provider. Voluntary professional-body membership is also different from regulation as a solicitor.
Ask about relevant experience, professional indemnity insurance, complaints arrangements and who will actually draft and check the document. Verify any claimed membership or regulatory status directly rather than relying on a logo. The CMA’s consumer guide sets out useful checks.
Match the service to your circumstances
Explain the circumstances before choosing a product: your family, who you want to benefit, how you own property and whether anyone needs ongoing support. Blended families, overseas assets, a business or a beneficiary needing continuing care can justify specialist advice.
A trust is not automatically better than a straightforward Will. Ask what problem a proposed trust solves, how it would operate and what responsibilities it creates. For a defined share of a jointly owned home, Property Protection Trust Wills are one option to discuss; they should not be chosen on a promise of guaranteed care-fee savings.
Compare the written quote and what happens next
A useful quote makes the scope clear. Ask whether it covers discussing instructions, drafts, amendments before approval, signing guidance and any property-ownership work. Distinguish the preparation fee from optional storage, future updates, executor services and third-party charges.
Example: one quote may cover two coordinated Wills, while another is a price for one person. Another may include appropriate trust provisions and ownership work. The headline figures are not comparable until those differences are clear.
See our Will-cost comparison guide for the questions to ask and current Xwills fees for exact service prices.
Telephone, video and online Will-writing services
Remote discussion can be convenient, but establish what human advice is included. An online questionnaire, a video consultation and a professionally reviewed bespoke draft are different services. Ask how questions or unusual circumstances are handled before you pay.
At Xwills, appointments are available by telephone, Teams or Zoom across England and Wales. We discuss the intended outcome before recommending document options. Remote advice does not replace the separate requirements for signing and witnessing the final Will.
Signing, storage and future changes
Check that you receive clear signing instructions and know whom to contact if a witness or signature question arises. Our witness guide explains why eligibility and presence matter.
Decide where the original will be stored, how executors can find it and what any ongoing charges cover. Ask what happens if the provider stops trading. Keep review arrangements realistic: a change of family circumstances may need fresh advice rather than a simple name alteration.
Questions to ask Xwills
- Would a Standard Will, Mirror Wills or trust provisions fit my aims?
- What is included in the quoted fee for my circumstances?
- Does the ownership of our home need reviewing?
- How will I review the draft and receive signing guidance?
- What are my storage and later-update options?
You can check Andrew Walters’ Society of Will Writers listing, read about Andrew, or send us a question before booking.
Tell us what you want to achieve
You do not need to know the name of the legal document or trust before speaking to us. Explain the family, property or planning issue and we can discuss the relevant options.
Have a question before booking? Send us a short message and we’ll respond personally.