STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation (England and Wales)
Empower yourself with the specialised knowledge and skills needed to effectively prepare wills within the legal frameworks of England and Wales.
Course details
This course provides practitioners with the technical knowledge and practical skills required to prepare technical, high-quality wills and provide clients with a holistic, comprehensive service that meets the highest levels of competence and professional standards.
- Gain in-depth expertise: Improve your technical knowledge of the issues arising in relation preparing wills and the laws and procedures involved.
- Practical focus: Practical advice and guidance written by practitioners, for practitioners on taking instructions and managing client interviews.
- Build valuable connections: Network with like-minded professionals in varied roles and firms.
- Industry recognition: A recognised ‘gold-standard’ professional qualification for those working in the industry, . Successful completion provides eligibility to use the STEP Will Writing Code Logo, enhancing your professional standing. This course is also awarded in association with Alliance Manchester Business School, a School of the University of Manchester.
Course fees: £1,545 + local taxes
You may also be interested in:
STEP Advanced Certificate in Taxation of Trusts and Estates (England and Wales)
Course dates, fees and enrol now:
If you are not already a member of STEP, you need to join before enrolling onto this course as you will need your STEP membership number to hand when booking. Find out more here. Please allow five working days for your membership application to be approved by STEP. Applicable local taxes and discounts will be added to your basket on checkout for this course.
Our courses can become oversubsribed quickly and places are allocated on a first come, first served basis. We advise that you book early to ensure you receive your requested workshop dates and to check the dates as soon as you receive your booking confirmation email.
Customised Pricing and Group Rates
Tailored pricing plans and group rate cards are available for firms seeking to train multiple team members or larger groups of employees. We are happy to work with you to design a cost-effective solution that aligns with your training goals and budget.
Instalment Plans
You can pay for your course fees in instalments if you choose the interest-free instalment plans available for certain courses. Specifically, you can opt for three equal monthly instalments for Certificate and Advanced Certificate level courses that total over £800 (excluding VAT), or six equal monthly instalments for the Professional Postgraduate Diploma. Payments can be made using a credit or debit card.
Become a member of STEP
To take this course you need to be a member of STEP at Affiliate level or higher.
What will I learn?
- An introduction to will writing and managing the process of will preparation
- The key stages in the will preparation process
- How to manage client interviews
- How to apply the concepts of testamentary capacity, undue influence and knowledge and approval
- How to deal with a will involving a foreign element
- How to advise on joint property
- The potential litigation risks and claims associated with the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
- Inheritance tax issues, exemptions, reliefs and digital assets
- Practical guidance on drafting and checking wills
- The execution and revocation of a will
- Principles of trust and estate taxation
- Traps in will writing
Course format
This course is available for study twice a year and takes four months to complete. It is delivered online.
Enrolment onto this course will include access to an online learning platform containing:
- bespoke course reading
- self-assessment tools
- supporting material
The course fee includes attendance at three online workshops led by a subject matter expert.
The course is assessed by way of a five-hour open-book examination.
Once you have successfully completed this course, you will be awarded the STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation (England and Wales).
Digital Certificates from April 2026
From April 6th 2026, printed certificates will no longer be issued. All certificates will be provided digitally via Diplomasafe.
This change supports our commitment to sustainability and modernisation. Digital certificates are:
- Eco-friendly – reducing paper use and our carbon footprint
- Secure – each certificate includes a QR code for instant verification
- Convenient – easy to access, store, and share
Certificates are issued by our credentials partner, Diplomasafe. CLTI will securely share data with Diplomasafe in line with GDPR to enable digital credentialing. Learn more: https://diplomasafe.com
Is this course right for me?
This course is suitable for:
- will writers
- solicitors
- financial advisers and estate planners
- tax advisers
- accountants
- support professionals and paralegals
We strongly recommend that you have experience of drafting and the execution of ‘standard’ wills, and have a basic knowledge of the taxation issues around will drafting. This course has not been designed for those without any practical experience of preparing wills.
What learners say:
I thought the lecturers were very engaging and informative and the course content has given me greater confidence in my work.
A valuable qualification at a reasonable price.
Private Client Advisor
