The Society of Will Writers (SWW) is a professional trade association for Will Writers and Estate Planning professionals which was created in April 1994. It started with 5 founding members and has grown to become the largest organisation of its type today.
The two primary purposes of the SWW are to promote to the public at large the real need and sense in having a valid Will; and to act as a self-regulatory body by vetting practitioners through stringent membership requirements, proficiency standards and on-going training.
That all sounds great, but what does it mean?
The profession is largely unregulated and anyone can write a Will but to do so could cause all sorts of problems which may not come to the surface until after the testator dies. As an organisation we ensure that those practicing under the banner of the SWW are ‘safe to do business with’.
How are SWW members ‘Safe to do business with’ and who can use the logo?
The SWW logo is a membership benefit for all members of the SWW. We supported this by adding the ‘Safe to do business with’ logo in 2015. Members are free to use this alongside the SWW logo. All members of the SWW must adhere to three mandatory requirements:
- Providing us proof of Professional Indemnity Insurance (meeting the SWW’s minimum requirements of £2m level of indemnity).
- Adherence to the SWW Code of Practice (our rule book by which all members are judged and audited)
- Completion of 24 hours CPD (continuous professional development) on an annual basis and be able to provide proof of 16 structured hours for the annual audit. Unstructured hours constitutes self-development or learning.
These safeguards are in place so that the SWW can confidently state that members are safe to do business with and as such can use these logos to help market their business.
Aside from the regulatory side, why should you join?
Joining the SWW isn’t just about adhering to regulatory framework and looking attractive to clients. Members of the SWW benefit from a comprehensive range of benefits including access to leading software, insurance and software providers as well as having a voice.
By far one of the best membership benefits is that full members (with the designatory letters MSWW, ASWW, and FSWW) have full access to insured technical advice. This advice is full, free and unlimited*. The types of advice we regularly provide extends to suggested wording for a clause, confirmation that a member’s understanding of a point of law is correct, support on advice being provided to clients and technical drafting assistance.
Additional benefits include:
- Reduced training costs through The College of Will Writing
- Access to Sure Will Writer – Professional Will Suite
- Access to comprehensive Professional Indemnity Insurance
- Access to marketing material/design and advice
- Access to regional groups and conferences to help with self-development
For a discussion about joining the SWW or for more information please contact us on 01522 68 78 88 or visit www.willwriters.com
*The technical support does not extend to advice regarding lifetime settlements. This advice should come from your provider. The SWW does not provide advice to affiliated members. Only full members are entitled to technical support.
