STEP - Advanced Certificate

Set 1

STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation (England and Wales)

STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation (England and Wales)
Credits Awarding Body STEP
Set 1 - Private wealth administration and governance

The course covers the law and best practice in relation to will preparation, enabling you to provide clients with technical, high-quality wills. By enhancing your client-facing skills, you will be able to offer your clients a holistic, comprehensive service that meets the highest levels of competence and professional standards. This Advanced Certificate can be taken as part of the STEP Diploma.

 

As private wealth continues to grow significantly and family structures are becoming more complex, the need for properly qualified and capable will drafters continues to increase. Even well-drafted wills might not reflect the circumstances and real needs of the individual unless the will drafter has the breadth and depth of knowledge to ask the right questions and advise the client appropriately. 

This course is awarded in association with Alliance Manchester Business School, the University of Manchester.

You will be able to:

  • Fulfil your duty of care to your clients.
  • Take instructions for the preparation of a will.
  • Manage client interviews.
  • Advise your clients on the issues of tax in response to their particular needs.
  • Draft a will to meet your clients’ wishes and circumstances.

The course is designed for practitioners who have a fairly wide experience of both taking instructions and will drafting. It is assumed that students on this course have experience of drafting and execution of ‘standard’ wills and possess a basic knowledge of the taxation issues around will drafting. Students of this course typically include:

  • Will Writers
  • Solicitors
  • Financial Advisors and Estate Planners
  • Tax Advisors
  • Accountants
  • Support professionals and Paralegals
  • Successful completion of the course will award students with 30 Diploma-Level credits towards STEP membership. 
  • This course provides a much more in-depth view of the practice area than any other qualification in the industry; successful completion will evidence your higher level of study and specialist knowledge of law and practice in this area. 
  • The course is reviewed and updated every year, to include updates to the tax year and any other relevant professional updates. 
  • Ideal for practitioners looking for professional accreditation. 
  • Blended delivery, including structured workshops designed and taught by experienced practitioners and tutors and access to an online learning platform. 
  • Providing students with the ability to grow their own professional network, meet students from a range of professions, build relationships and share study tips/support as a cohort. 
  • After successful completion, you will be able to use the dedicated STEP Will Writing Code logo to differentiate yourself from the competition. The Code is a set of ethical principles that demonstrate the standard of transparency and service you can expect from a STEP member or graduate of the STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation course when preparing a will. 
  • The course is subject to the rigorous quality assurance procedures of Manchester Business School, a Faculty of the University of Manchester

Will Writing Code

60 Entry-Level Credits 

Note: Applicants must have obtained 60 STEP Entry-Level credits to enrol onto this course or be a member of STEP. Visit STEP's Qualifications and Membership to understand how to apply. 

Students enrolling for this course must have experience of drafting and execution of ‘standard’ wills and possess a basic knowledge of the taxation issues around will drafting. 

This course is available for study twice annually, with intakes beginning in May and November. The programme is delivered through a combination of online learning and three workshops and will take six months to complete. We recommend that you spend four to six hours per week on private study for the six months prior to the examination.

Enrolment onto this course will include the following:

  • A bespoke, soft copy course manual
  • Access to the online learning platform, which contains:
    • Self-assessment material
    • Distance learning support
    • Additional interactive online features, including an e-learning module on client engagement skills and exercises on client engagement skills and will-drafting.
  • Three full days of tuition led by industry experts, covering both legal and tax considerations of preparing wills
  • Examination and assessment fees.

The course is assessed by way of a five-hour open-book written examination which comprises 20 compulsory multiple-choice questions (each worth 1 mark), a 30-mark case-study style compulsory question, and a final section from which students must answer two 25-mark essay/problem style questions from a choice of three. The questions will be drawn from across the syllabus and candidates must achieve 50% to pass the Advanced Certificate. 

Once you have successfully completed this course, you will gain 30 Diploma Level credits towards STEP membership and be awarded the STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation (England & Wales).

Course Timetable July 2024

Please note all courses are delivered fully online.

When selecting workshop dates for this course, please only select dates from same cohort, e.g. Group 1.  Workshops do have a limited capacity, so in the event of capacity being reached, alternative dates will be allocated to you.

Please check your booking confirmation for your workshop dates and get in touch if you have any queries relating to this.

Course Timetable - January 2025

Please note that the dates for January 2025 will be available for enrolment in April 2024. To register your interest in this intake, please contact the team through the enquiry form.

Thank you for your interest in CLTI or STEP products. Due to government regulations, we are unable to accept online payments from, or, on behalf of students from certain countries and territories without prior agreement. Please contact us for further details on cltinternational@centlaw.com, +44 (0) 121 362 7733.

The STEP discounted fee applies only to students with Full STEP Membership.

 

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Get in touch...

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Duration

4 Months

Set

Set
1

Entry Criteria

60 Entry-Level Credits

Note: Applicants must have obtained 60 STEP Entry-Level credits to enrol onto this course or be a member of STEP. Visit STEP's Qualifications and Membership Framework to understand how to apply.

Students enrolling for this course must have experience of drafting and execution of ‘standard’ wills, and possess a basic knowledge of the taxation issues around Will Drafting.

When selecting workshop dates, please only select dates from same cohort, e.g. Group 1 or Group 2, etc. 

Workshops do have a limited capacity, so in the event of capacity being reached, alternative dates will be allocated to you.

Course Fee: £1465 (STEP Member fee £1395)

 

Assessment

Examination