Estate Planning Career Guides

Free, honest resources to help you understand the estate planning career and make informed decisions about your future.

Training & Courses

Top Pick

Best Will Writing Courses UK 2026

Compare the best will writing courses in the UK for 2026. Detailed analysis of content, accreditation, support, and which offers the best value.

18 min
Read
LPA Focus

LPA Specialist Training: Lasting Powers of Attorney

Everything you need to know about specialising in LPAs - what they are, why demand is growing, training requirements, and earning potential.

11 min
Read
Trusts

Trust Basics for Estate Planners

Essential guide to trusts for estate planners - how they work, when to recommend them, and how to explain them clearly to clients.

13 min
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IHT

Inheritance Tax Basics for Estate Planners

Essential IHT knowledge for estate planners - thresholds, exemptions, reliefs, and when to refer clients to specialists.

14 min
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Probate

Probate Services for Estate Planners

Understanding probate services for estate planners - what probate involves, training needed, and whether to add this revenue stream.

12 min
Read
Capacity

Understanding Mental Capacity for Estate Planners

Essential guide to mental capacity - legal framework, practical assessment, and protecting yourself and clients.

13 min
Read
Course Comparison

Estate Planning Course Comparison UK 2026

Complete comparison of every major estate planning course in the UK. Compare costs, duration, accreditation, and real career outcomes to find the right training for you.

20 min
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Free Training

Free Will Writing Courses UK 2026

Discover every legitimate free will writing training option in the UK. From employer-sponsored programmes to free taster courses, find no-cost pathways into estate planning.

14 min
Read
Training Format

Online vs Classroom Estate Planning Training

Complete comparison of online and classroom estate planning training formats. Discover which approach suits your learning style and career goals.

12 min
Read
Accreditation

Accredited Estate Planning Courses UK 2026

Complete guide to accredited estate planning courses. Learn which accreditations genuinely matter, which are marketing speak, and how to choose qualifications employers recognise.

14 min
Read
SWW Training

Society of Will Writers Training Guide 2026

Everything you need to know about Society of Will Writers training. Courses available, costs, what membership includes, and honest assessment of whether SWW is right for your career.

13 min
Read
Body Comparison

IPW vs SWW Training Comparison 2026

Complete comparison of Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW) and Society of Will Writers (SWW). Costs, courses, recognition, and which professional body is right for you.

15 min
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Provider Review

CTT Training Review: Estate Planning Courses 2026

Independent review of CTT Group estate planning training programmes. Course quality, costs, what graduates say, and honest assessment of whether their training is right for you.

12 min
Read

Career Change by Profession

Career Change

Teacher to Estate Planner: Career Change Guide

A complete guide for teachers considering a career change to estate planning. Learn how your teaching skills transfer, realistic earnings expectations, and step-by-step transition plan.

14 min
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Career Change

Nurse to Estate Planner: Career Change Guide

Complete guide for nurses considering estate planning as a second career. Learn how nursing skills transfer, earning potential, and how to make the transition.

14 min
Read
Career Change

Accountant to Estate Planner: Career Change Guide

Guide for accountants considering estate planning as a career change. Learn how your financial skills transfer, earning comparisons, and transition strategy.

13 min
Read
Career Change

HR Professional to Estate Planner: Career Change Guide

Complete guide for HR professionals considering estate planning. Learn how your skills in people management and policy translate to this rewarding career.

12 min
Read
Career Change

Sales Professional to Estate Planner: Career Change Guide

Guide for sales professionals considering estate planning. Your relationship-building and business development skills create significant advantages in this career.

12 min
Read
Career Change

Retail Manager to Estate Planner: Career Change Guide

Guide for retail professionals considering estate planning. Your customer service excellence and people management experience create a strong foundation for this career.

12 min
Read
Career Change

Office Manager to Estate Planner: Career Change Guide

Guide for office managers considering estate planning. Your organisational excellence and client management experience create a strong foundation for this career.

11 min
Read
Career Change

Bank Worker to Estate Planner: Career Change Guide

Guide for bank employees considering estate planning. Your regulated services background and client advisory experience create significant advantages in this career.

12 min
Read
Career Change

Civil Servant to Estate Planner: Career Change Guide

Guide for civil servants considering estate planning. Your analytical skills, professional standards, and commitment to helping people create a strong foundation.

12 min
Read
Career Change

Military to Estate Planner: Career Change Guide

Guide for military personnel transitioning to civilian careers. Estate planning offers a meaningful second career that values your discipline, leadership, and service ethos.

13 min
Read

Common Questions

Timeline

How Long Does It Take to Become an Estate Planner?

The complete timeline from deciding to become an estate planner to earning your first income. Realistic expectations and what determines your speed.

12 min
Read
Requirements

Can Anyone Become an Estate Planner? Requirements Explained

The honest truth about who can become an estate planner. What's actually required, what helps, and whether this career is right for you.

14 min
Read
Difficulty

Is Estate Planning Hard? Honest Difficulty Assessment

An honest look at what's difficult about estate planning and what's easier than expected. Real challenges and how practitioners overcome them.

13 min
Read
Legal

Can You Do Estate Planning Without Being a Solicitor?

Understanding the legal position of non-solicitor estate planners in the UK. What you can do, what requires referral, and how the industry works.

15 min
Read
Pricing

How Much Do Estate Planners Charge? Fee Guide 2026

Complete guide to estate planning fees in the UK. What to charge clients, what clients pay, and how pricing affects your income.

14 min
Read
Insurance

Estate Planner Insurance Requirements UK Guide

Everything you need to know about insurance as an estate planner. What's required, what's recommended, and how to get covered.

12 min
Read
Marketing

How to Get Estate Planning Clients: Complete Marketing Guide

Comprehensive guide to attracting and converting estate planning clients. Marketing strategies that actually work for will writers and estate planners.

18 min
Read
Daily Life

What Do Estate Planners Do All Day? Daily Life Revealed

Discover what estate planners actually do day-to-day. From client consultations to document drafting, understand the reality of this career.

14 min
Read
Wellbeing

Is Estate Planning Stressful? Honest Work-Life Assessment

An honest look at stress in estate planning careers. What causes pressure, how to manage it, and whether this career offers good work-life balance.

13 min
Read

Will Writing Guides

Will Writing

Will Writing Training — Everything You Need to Know

Comprehensive guide to will writing training in the UK. We cover what training involves, how long it takes, different formats, costs, and how to choose the right programme for you.

13 min
Read
Will Writing

How to Become a Will Writer in the UK

Complete step-by-step guide to becoming a will writer in the UK. We cover what will writers do, training requirements, how to get started, and realistic earning potential.

15 min
Read
Will Writing

Online Will Writing Courses — Learn From Home

Complete guide to online will writing courses in the UK. Compare self-paced options, what to look for, and find the best online training — including one completely free option.

11 min
Read
Will Writing

Will Writing Qualifications — What Do You Really Need?

Complete guide to will writing qualifications in the UK. We explain what's legally required (nothing), what's practically essential (training), and what helps but isn't mandatory.

10 min
Read
Will Writing

How to Start a Will Writing Business in the UK

Complete guide to starting a will writing business in the UK. We cover training, business setup, insurance, software, pricing, and finding your first clients — with startup costs from just £300.

14 min
Read
Will Writing

Will Writing From Home — The Ultimate Flexible Career

Complete guide to working as a will writer from home. Learn how to set up your home office, conduct consultations, and build a flexible career earning £30-50k+ without commuting.

11 min
Read
Will Writing

Career Change to Will Writing — Is It Right for You?

Complete guide to changing career to will writing. We cover who it suits, what skills transfer, realistic timelines, and how to make the switch — with free training available.

13 min
Read

Go Independent

Mortgage Advisors

Mortgage Advisor to Estate Planner: Your Natural Next Step

How mortgage advisors can leverage their existing skills, client base, and financial knowledge to build a thriving independent estate planning practice.

12 min
Read
Mortgage Advisors

How Mortgage Advisors Can Start Their Own Estate Planning Business

A practical step-by-step guide for mortgage advisors who are tired of network fees and commission splits, showing how to build an independent estate planning practice.

14 min
Read
Mortgage Advisors

Adding Estate Planning Services to Your Mortgage Practice

How to bolt estate planning onto your existing mortgage business to increase revenue per client, create recurring income, and reduce dependence on the housing market.

10 min
Read
Mortgage Advisors

Leaving Your Mortgage Network? Estate Planning Could Be Your Exit Strategy

For mortgage brokers frustrated with network fees, compliance costs, and building someone else's brand — how estate planning offers a path to genuine independence.

11 min
Read
Mortgage Advisors

How to Convert Your Mortgage Clients into Estate Planning Clients

Practical scripts, timing strategies, and conversion techniques for mortgage advisors to naturally introduce estate planning to their existing client base.

9 min
Read
IFAs

IFA to Estate Planner: Why Financial Advisors Are Making the Switch

How IFAs frustrated with FCA regulation, compliance costs, and platform fees can use their financial expertise to build an independent estate planning practice.

13 min
Read
IFAs

How IFAs Can Start Their Own Estate Planning Business

A practical guide for IFAs who want to escape FCA regulation and build an independent estate planning practice using their financial expertise.

11 min
Read
IFAs

Adding Estate Planning to Your IFA Practice: The Complete Guide

How to add will writing, LPAs, and trusts to your IFA offering to increase client value, create new revenue streams, and provide truly holistic financial planning.

10 min
Read
IFAs

Leaving Your IFA Firm to Go Independent with Estate Planning

For employed IFAs tired of targets, office politics, and building someone else's business — how estate planning offers a clean break to genuine independence.

11 min
Read
IFAs

Holistic Financial Planning: Why IFAs Need Estate Planning Skills

How adding estate planning transforms your IFA practice from investment management into truly holistic financial planning that clients value and pay premium fees for.

9 min
Read
Will Writers

How Will Writers Can Start Their Own Estate Planning Business

For will writers working for companies who want to break free, keep their own fees, and build a practice that's truly theirs.

12 min
Read
Will Writers

Leaving Your Will Writing Company: A Practical Independence Guide

Practical advice on handling employment contracts, building your own client base, and transitioning from employed will writer to independent estate planner.

10 min
Read
Will Writers

From Employed to Self-Employed: A Will Writer's Guide to Independence

Everything employed will writers need to know about the practicalities of self-employment: tax, insurance, business structure, and building income.

10 min
Read
Will Writers

Beyond Wills: How Will Writers Can Offer Full Estate Planning

How to move beyond basic will writing into LPAs, trusts, and comprehensive estate planning — tripling your income potential with higher-value services.

11 min
Read
Will Writers

Will Writer Earnings: Self-Employed vs Employed Income Comparison

A transparent comparison of what will writers earn as employees vs self-employed estate planners, with real numbers and practical scenarios.

8 min
Read
Will Writers

Building Your Own Client Base: A Will Writer's Marketing Guide

Proven strategies for independent will writers and estate planners to build a steady stream of clients through referrals, online presence, and local marketing.

10 min
Read
Will Writers

Will Writing Company vs Going Independent: The Full Comparison

An honest comparison of the employed and independent routes for will writers, covering income, lifestyle, control, risk, and long-term career prospects.

9 min
Read
All Professionals

Financial Professionals: Why Estate Planning Is Your Best Route to Independence

A comprehensive guide for mortgage advisors, IFAs, and will writers who want to stop building someone else's business and start building their own.

13 min
Read
All Professionals

Escape Commission Splits: Keep 100% of Your Fees with Estate Planning

How financial professionals can escape the commission split model and build an estate planning practice where every pound goes directly into their pocket.

9 min
Read
All Professionals

How to Start Estate Planning Alongside Your Current Job

A practical guide to building an estate planning practice in your spare time while keeping the security of your current employment or network.

10 min
Read
All Professionals

No Qualifications Needed: Start Estate Planning with Your Existing Skills

Clearing up the biggest misconception holding financial professionals back: you don't need a law degree, expensive courses, or years of study to become an estate planner.

8 min
Read
Mortgage Advisors

Recession-Proof Income: Why Mortgage Advisors Are Adding Estate Planning

How estate planning gives mortgage advisors a stable income stream that doesn't depend on interest rates, housing market conditions, or lender appetite.

9 min
Read
IFAs

Escape FCA Regulation: Why IFAs Are Choosing Estate Planning

For IFAs exhausted by FCA compliance, Consumer Duty requirements, and the ever-growing regulatory burden — estate planning offers professional work without the headaches.

10 min
Read
Will Writers

Building Your Own Brand as an Independent Will Writer

How to create a professional personal brand that attracts estate planning clients directly to you, without relying on a company name or expensive marketing.

9 min
Read
Software

WILLO Software: Purpose-Built for Independent Estate Planners

A deep dive into WILLO — the purpose-built estate planning software that gives independent practitioners solicitor-quality output without enterprise-level costs.

8 min
Read
Mortgage Advisors

How Mortgage Brokers Can Earn Extra Income with Estate Planning

A practical guide for mortgage brokers looking to add estate planning services as a secondary revenue stream alongside their existing mortgage business.

10 min
Read
Financial Advisers

How IFAs Can Use Estate Planning to Retain More Clients

Why IFAs lose clients when they refer estate planning externally, and how offering it in-house keeps the full relationship and increases revenue per client.

11 min
Read
Will Writers

How to Leave Your Will Writing Company and Go Independent

A comprehensive guide for will writers working for firms who want to set up their own independent practice, keep 100% of fees, and build a sustainable business.

14 min
Read
Mortgage Advisors

Estate Planning Compliance for Mortgage Advisors: What You Need to Know

Everything mortgage advisors need to know about compliance when adding estate planning services — PI insurance, professional bodies, AML, and data protection.

9 min
Read
Financial Advisers

IFA Estate Planning Revenue: How Much Can You Really Earn?

A detailed revenue analysis for IFAs adding estate planning to their practice, with pricing guides, case volume projections, and income comparisons.

10 min
Read
Will Writers

Marketing Your Own Will Writing Business: A Complete Guide

A comprehensive marketing playbook for will writers who have gone independent. From building your local presence and Google visibility to referral partnerships with accountants and financial advisers — everything you need to fill your diary with clients.

13 min
Read
Mortgage Advisors

Getting Your First Estate Planning Client as a Mortgage Advisor

A practical step-by-step guide for mortgage advisors to land their very first estate planning case. From identifying which existing clients to approach to the exact conversation scripts and pricing strategies that work.

10 min
Read
Financial Advisers

Setting Up an Estate Planning Practice as an IFA

A practical setup guide for IFAs who want to add estate planning services. Covers business structure, PI insurance, professional memberships, software, pricing, and keeping your FCA-regulated and non-regulated work properly separated.

12 min
Read

More Guides Coming Soon

We're constantly adding new guides on topics like career changes at 40+, starting a business, regulations, and more. Book a consultation if you have specific questions we haven't covered yet.

Ask Us Your Questions

Ready to Start Your Estate Planning Career?

Comprehensive training, WILLO software at £150/month, and ongoing support to help you succeed.