Linda's Story: Estate Planning as a Fulfilling Semi-Retirement

I took early retirement from my accountancy firm at 58. After 35 years in the profession, I was tired of the relentless pressure — deadlines, regulations, partnership politics. My pension and investments meant I didn't need to work, but I soon discovered I needed something.

The Retirement Reality Check:

The first three months were blissful. Golf, gardening, long lunches with friends. Then it started feeling empty. My husband was still working. My children lived their own lives. Days stretched endlessly with no structure, no purpose, no sense of contribution.

I wasn't ready to just... wait. Wait for what? Deterioration? Death? I'm 61 now, healthy, sharp, experienced. I wanted something meaningful to do — just not the 60-hour weeks of partnership accountancy.

Discovering Estate Planning:

A friend from my Rotary club mentioned her daughter had trained as an estate planner. I'd always wondered about wills from an accountancy perspective — clients often asked questions I couldn't answer. The free course meant I could explore without financial commitment.

Why It Appealed:

• •Flexible hours (I could work exactly as much or little as I wanted)
• •Intellectually stimulating (legal knowledge, complex situations)
• •Helping people (not just processing numbers)
• •My accountancy background was relevant (understanding assets, tax, businesses)
• •Build something rather than just consume time

Three years later, I'm working three days a week, earning £45,000, and genuinely enjoying my semi-retirement. Here's what it actually looks like.

I deliberately structured my week for balance. Here's how a typical week flows:

Monday (Working Day):

8:30am — Leisurely start. Breakfast, newspapers (remember those?), second coffee.

9:30am — Check emails and messages. A former accountancy colleague has asked about my services for his elderly mother. Two enquiries through the website from weekend. I respond to all, arrange calls for later.

10:30am — Video consultation with new clients: a retired couple wanting mirror wills and LPAs. They're organised, having already discussed their wishes. We cover everything in 75 minutes — straightforward situation, everything to each other, then to their two children equally.

12:30pm — Lunch at home. Make proper food, not the sandwiches eaten at my desk for 35 years.

2:00pm — Document drafting. Using WILLO, I create the documents from this morning's consultation. The system is intuitive after three years. Takes about 90 minutes.

4:00pm — Administrative tasks. Send documents for review, update client records, invoice for completed work.

5:00pm — Done. Glass of wine, and Monday evening is mine.

Tuesday (Non-Working Day):

My volunteer day at the Citizens Advice Bureau. Not estate planning work, but fulfilling in different ways. This balance matters.

Wednesday (Working Day):

9:00am — Return calls to enquiries from earlier in the week. Book in new consultations.

10:00am — Home visit to elderly gentleman needing LPAs. His daughter accompanies — she's concerned about his future care needs. This is sensitive work; he's acknowledging his vulnerability. My accountancy background helps when discussing property values and care fee implications.

12:30pm — Another home visit nearby. Widow updating will after husband's death. She's not rushed — we chat, she shares memories, we gradually address the documents. This human connection is what I love.

3:00pm — Back home. Quick notes and admin.

4:00pm — Signing appointment (video call). Existing client's documents are ready. We review together, I witness via video (which is now legally possible for certain documents).

5:00pm — Week's work is accumulating nicely.

Thursday (Non-Working Day):

Golf in the morning. Lunch with my husband who works from home Thursdays. This is semi-retirement — work when I choose, leisure when I choose.

Friday (Working Day):

9:30am — Planning session. Review coming week, follow up on outstanding matters.

10:30am — Complex consultation: business owner wanting succession planning. My accountancy background shines here — I understand shareholder structures, business valuations, tax implications. We discuss options for an hour, and I recommend he involves his accountant for the financial planning while I handle the will and LPA side.

12:30pm — Lunch and break.

2:00pm — CPD time. Reading updates on inheritance tax changes, reviewing new case law, keeping knowledge current. Professional development matters.

3:30pm — Final admin. Send any outstanding documents, clear inbox, close out the week.

4:30pm — Weekend begins. Work finished. Life begins.

Let me be transparent about money, because financial considerations matter even in semi-retirement:

My Current Earnings:

Working 3 days per week (approximately 18-20 hours):

• •Average 3-4 clients per week
• •Average transaction: £480 (I offer comprehensive services)
• •Monthly income: £3,500-4,000
• •Annual income: approximately £45,000

Context:

I don't need this money. My pension is £28,000/year, and investment income adds another £15,000. The estate planning income is entirely additional, taking household income to around £88,000.

What the Money Means:

This income allows luxuries we'd otherwise economise on:

• •More frequent travel and nicer hotels
• •Gifts to grandchildren
• •Home improvements without worry
• •Financial cushion for unexpected expenses
• •The security of continued earning capacity

Compared to Accountancy:

At my accountancy firm, I earned £85,000 as a senior manager but worked 50+ hours weekly and carried significant stress. Now I earn £45,000 for 18 hours weekly with zero stress. The hourly comparison is actually similar, but my quality of life is incomparably better.

Tax Efficiency:

As additional income, this is taxed at higher rates. But legitimate business expenses help. My accountancy background means I optimise this properly — home office, mileage, professional subscriptions, software, insurance all deductible.

For more salary information, see the Will Writer Salary Guide.

Could I Earn More?

Easily. Adding a fourth day would increase income to £60,000+. But that's not the point. I chose three days for balance, not to maximise income. I could afford to earn nothing; I work because I want to, not because I must.

I expected to start from scratch. Actually, my accountancy career prepared me better than I realised:

Financial Understanding:

Estate planning involves assets, values, tax implications. I understand capital gains, inheritance tax, pension treatment, business valuations. Clients appreciate someone who grasps the numbers, not just the legal forms.

Business Owner Clients:

Many estate planning clients are business owners. They want succession planning, shareholder protection, business asset treatment. My three decades advising businesses means I speak their language. I've become known locally for business-focused estate planning.

Documentation Precision:

Accountancy trained me in precision. Every figure checked, every statement accurate, every detail correct. Will writing requires similar rigour — errors have serious consequences. My documentation habits transferred perfectly.

Client Service Skills:

Decades of explaining complex financial matters to non-financial people. The skill of simplifying without dumbing down, of building trust, of managing expectations — all transferred to estate planning consultations.

Professional Network:

My accountancy contacts now refer clients. Former colleagues, former clients, the network I built over 35 years — many need estate planning and prefer someone they already trust. This network generated significant early business.

Understanding Complexity:

Not every estate is straightforward. Complex family situations, unusual assets, international elements, tax-sensitive arrangements — my professional background means I'm comfortable with complexity rather than overwhelmed.

Professional Mindset:

The habits of professionalism — confidentiality, ethics, continuing education, proper documentation — are second nature after 35 years. I didn't need to learn professional behaviour; I'd lived it.

Read more about becoming a will writer after accountancy.

Three years in, I find this work genuinely fulfilling. Here's why:

Making a Difference:

Accountancy was important but often invisible. Estate planning is tangibly meaningful. When I complete someone's will and LPAs, I've genuinely protected their family. Clients express gratitude in ways my accountancy clients rarely did.

The Right Level of Challenge:

Estate planning is intellectually stimulating without being overwhelming. I use my brain, solve problems, apply knowledge — but without the relentless pressure of accountancy. Stimulation without stress.

Human Connection:

My accountancy work was largely with documents and systems. Estate planning involves genuine human connection. Clients share their lives, their fears, their hopes for their families. These relationships are meaningful.

Control and Autonomy:

I decide my hours, my days, my clients, my approach. After decades of partnership demands and client pressures, this autonomy is precious. I work when I want to work.

Purpose in Semi-Retirement:

Many retirees struggle with loss of purpose. I have structure, contribution, identity, and income. I'm still professionally active without the career-defining pressure.

Staying Current:

Estate planning keeps me learning — law changes, practice evolves, new situations arise. My brain stays engaged rather than slowly dulling through inactivity.

The Social Element:

Client meetings provide regular human contact. The estate planning community offers professional connection. I'm not isolated, even working independently.

Contribution to Society:

Helping families protect their futures feels socially valuable. I'm contributing, not just consuming. This matters more to me than I expected in retirement.

It's not perfect. Here's the honest account:

Emotional Weight:

Estate planning involves death, family conflict, vulnerability. Some consultations are heavy — grieving widows, families facing mortality, difficult end-of-life discussions. I've learned to process this, but it requires emotional energy.

Self-Motivation Required:

Nobody makes me work. On grey Tuesday mornings, staying in bed with a book looks appealing. I've developed discipline, but some days I have to push through inertia.

The Isolation Factor:

After busy accountancy offices, working alone was an adjustment. I deliberately maintain social connections — professional networks, volunteer work, regular friend meetups. Without effort, isolation creeps in.

Technology Learning:

WILLO software, video consultations, online document systems — technology has evolved beyond my accountancy days. I had to learn new tools, which felt challenging initially. Now I'm competent, but it took effort.

Income vs. Full Retirement:

Some friends question why I work at all. "You don't need the money!" They're right, but they don't understand that income isn't the only point. Purpose matters. I've stopped justifying my choice.

Keeping Knowledge Current:

Estate planning law changes. I need to stay updated through reading, courses, professional development. This ongoing learning is mostly interesting, occasionally tedious.

The Boundary Challenge:

When you can work anytime, the risk is working all the time. I've had to set clear boundaries — specific working days, proper time off, genuine holidays. Without boundaries, work expands.

Based on three years' experience, here's what I'd tell someone considering this path:

1. Your Professional Background Transfers:

Whatever your career, skills transfer. Communication, documentation, client service, professionalism — these apply to estate planning. You're not starting from zero.

2. Test Before Committing:

The free course lets you explore without risk. I completed training while still deciding whether this was for me. If I'd disliked it, I'd have lost nothing except time.

3. Define What You Want:

Be clear about your goals. How many days? What income level? What balance? I chose three days and £45,000 income deliberately. Your choices might be different.

4. Embrace the Learning:

New knowledge is required — legal framework, document creation, consultation skills. Approach learning with openness rather than resistance. It keeps the brain active.

5. Build Structure:

Semi-retirement without structure can feel purposeless. Working days, non-working days, regular rhythms — create the structure that works for you.

6. Use Your Network:

Your career has built connections. Former colleagues, clients, contacts — these people need estate planning and might prefer someone they trust. Don't underestimate your network.

7. Start Local and Personal:

I didn't try to "do marketing" in the abstract. I told everyone I knew, gave two talks at the local U3A, and met two financial advisers for coffee. That filled my first three months. The marketing challenge feels enormous in theory but shrinks fast once you start from your existing relationships.

8. Protect Non-Work Time:

The flexibility is wonderful but requires discipline. Decide your non-working time and protect it. Tuesday is my volunteer day. Thursday is my leisure day. These boundaries matter.

9. Connect With Others:

The estate planning community has many semi-retired practitioners. Online communities, local meetups, professional events — connect with others who understand your journey.

10. It's Okay to Adjust:

Start with what seems right, then adjust. I began with two days, expanded to three when I wanted more engagement. Your balance might evolve. That's fine.

Looking back over three years, estate planning has given me exactly what I hoped for:

Professional Engagement Without Burnout:

I'm professionally active — using skills, serving clients, earning income. But I'm not exhausted, stressed, or overwhelmed. The balance is sustainable.

Financial Security Plus Extra:

I didn't need additional income, but having it provides options. Travel is nicer, gifts are easier, financial worries are absent. The security enhances retirement.

Purpose and Structure:

My weeks have shape. Working days alternate with leisure days. I have reasons to get dressed, places to be, things to contribute. This structure prevents the emptiness some retirees experience.

Continuous Learning:

My brain stays engaged. New knowledge, new situations, new challenges. Not the relentless pressure of career learning, but gentle ongoing development.

Meaningful Contribution:

I help families protect their futures. Clients express genuine gratitude. I contribute to society rather than simply consuming retirement resources.

Social Connection:

Clients, professional community, volunteer work — I have regular human contact without the politics of workplace relationships. Quality connections without quantity overload.

The Freedom to Choose:

I work because I want to, not because I must. I can take a month off for travel. I can reduce to two days if I want. I can stop entirely if circumstances change. This freedom is precious.

To Anyone Considering This:

If you're approaching retirement and wondering what's next, consider estate planning. The free training costs nothing to explore. Your professional skills transfer more than you expect. And the balance of purpose, income, and flexibility might be exactly what you need.

At 61, I'm healthier, happier, and more fulfilled than during my final years in accountancy. Estate planning didn't just fill my time — it enhanced my life.

Common questions about estate planning in semi-retirement.