Is the course really free?

Yes, completely. No hidden fees, no credit card required. The free training covers wills, LPAs and trusts in full — the same content other UK providers charge £600–£1,000 for. We give it away because we make our money from the optional coached programme that comes after.

Do I need any qualifications?

No formal qualifications needed. Will writing is unregulated in the UK. What matters is proper training — which we provide.

How long does the course take?

Most people complete it in 2–4 weeks, studying a few hours per week. It's self-paced, so you can go faster or slower.

What's the difference between the free course and the coached programme?

The free course teaches the legal knowledge — wills, LPAs and trusts. The coached programme is the optional next step that teaches the sales and business side: how to find clients, charge properly, and build a real estate planning business stage by stage. £199/month for four months, then £99/month for WILLO ongoing.

Can I do this part-time?

Absolutely. Most of our students run it 3–4 hours a day, 3 days a week, around other commitments. You choose your own hours.

What if I just want the free training and stop there?

Brilliant. Plenty of people do — they use what they learn to look after their own family's documents in WILLO. There's no pressure to progress to the coached programme.

Is £100,000 realistic as an estate planner?

Yes, for top performers. Requires either high volume (200+ cases), premium positioning (£700+ average), or team building. Takes 5-8 years typically. Not everyone reaches it, and not everyone wants to.

What's the fastest path to six figures?

Build a team. Solo practice caps around £80,000-£100,000 practically. With team, you multiply your capacity. Alternative: high-volume sales role with excellent commission structure can reach six figures in 3-4 years.

Do I need to sacrifice work-life balance?

Initially, often yes. Building to six figures requires significant effort. Once achieved, systems and team can create more balance. But sustained high income requires sustained effort. Some practitioners choose good income with better balance.

What percentage of estate planners earn £100,000+?

Estimated 5-10% of full-time practitioners. Most are business owners with teams or exceptional solo performers. The majority earn £40,000-£70,000 and many are very satisfied at that level.

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Six Figures

Can You Earn Six Figures as an Estate Planner UK?

Can you really earn £100,000+ as an estate planner? What it takes, how long, and whether it's the right goal for you.

By Alex Stansbury, Founder

•

14 min read

•Updated January 2026

The Six-Figure Question

Can you earn £100,000+ as an estate planner?

Short answer: Yes, but...

•It's achievable
•It requires specific conditions
•It takes time to build
•It's not typical
•It may not be your goal

Six-figure earnings require:

•High volume OR premium pricing OR team
•Excellent business/sales skills
•Years of development
•Significant commitment

Industry reality:

•Average practitioner: £40,000-£60,000
•Above average: £60,000-£80,000
•Top 10%: £80,000-£100,000
•Top 5%: £100,000+

Let's examine how top earners reach six figures.

The Numbers Required

Maths to reach £100,000:

Route 1: Solo High Volume

•Cases needed: 200+ per year
•Average case value: £550
•Gross revenue: £110,000
•Business costs: ~£15,000
•Net: £95,000

Challenge: 200 cases = 17/month = 4/week consistently

Route 2: Premium Positioning

•Cases needed: 130-150 per year
•Average case value: £750-£800
•Gross revenue: £105,000
•Business costs: ~£12,000
•Net: £93,000

Challenge: Commanding premium fees requires strong positioning

Route 3: Team Building

•Your cases: 80/year × £500 = £40,000
•Team margin: 4 practitioners × £20,000 = £80,000
•Gross: £120,000
•Management costs: ~£15,000
•Net: £105,000

Challenge: Finding, training, managing practitioners

Route 4: Hybrid Model

•Your premium cases: 100 × £600 = £60,000
•Team margin: 2 practitioners × £25,000 = £50,000
•Gross: £110,000
•Costs: ~£12,000
•Net: £98,000

See Highest Paying Estate Planning Roles for role analysis.

Timeline to Six Figures

Realistic progression:

Year 1: Foundation

•Learning profession
•Building systems
•First clients
•Income: £25,000-£40,000

Year 2: Establishment

•Growing caseload
•Improving efficiency
•Building reputation
•Income: £40,000-£55,000

Year 3: Optimisation

•Full productivity
•Referral network active
•Premium positioning starting
•Income: £55,000-£70,000

Year 4: Growth

•High volume or premium achieved
•Or: First team member added
•Systems refined
•Income: £70,000-£85,000

Year 5+: Scale

•Top performance level
•Team potential
•Business systems mature
•Income: £85,000-£100,000+

Fastest path: 4-5 years for exceptional performers

Typical path: 6-8 years

No guarantee: Some never reach it (and may not want to)

Key accelerators:

•Starting with relevant experience
•Excellent sales/marketing skills
•Geographic advantage (affluent area)
•Business building mindset

What Six-Figure Earners Do Differently

Characteristics of top earners:

Business mindset:

•Think like business owners
•Invest in growth
•Systematic approach
•Data-driven decisions

Marketing excellence:

•Multiple client sources
•Referral systems optimised
•Online presence strong
•Reputation cultivated

Sales skills:

•High conversion rates
•Confident fee conversations
•Objection handling
•Follow-up systems

Efficiency focus:

•Time is money
•Systems for everything
•Delegation where possible
•Continuous improvement

Premium positioning:

•Target ideal clients
•Charge appropriately
•Reject poor fits
•Service excellence

Team building (often):

•Hire others to deliver
•Focus on business development
•Create leverage
•Build equity

What they sacrifice:

•May work longer hours
•Business stress
•Management responsibilities
•Less flexibility initially

See How to Get Estate Planning Clients for marketing strategies.

Is Six Figures Right for You?

Questions to consider:

What do you actually need?

•Lifestyle costs
•Family commitments
•Savings goals
•Retirement planning

What are you willing to sacrifice?

•Work-life balance
•Stress levels
•Management responsibility
•Flexibility

What energises you?

•Client work: Stay solo, maximise cases
•Business building: Consider team
•Balance: Accept good income, not maximum

Alternative perspective:

£60,000 with balance vs £100,000 with stress

£60,000 scenario:

•12 cases/month
•35 hours/week
•Flexible schedule
•Low stress
•Complete autonomy

£100,000 scenario:

•20+ cases/month or team management
•45-50 hours/week
•Schedule pressure
•Higher stress
•Business responsibilities

Both are valid choices.

Many practitioners deliberately stop growing at £60,000-£70,000 because quality of life matters more than maximum income.

Action Plan for Six Figures

If six figures is your goal:

Year 1-2: Foundation

•Best possible training
•Join established company initially
•Master the basics
•Excellent client service
•Start building reputation

Year 3-4: Establish

•Move to independence or high-commission role
•Develop referral network
•Create efficient systems
•Premium positioning
•Marketing that works

Year 5-6: Accelerate

•Maximise case volume OR
•Add team members OR
•Premium fees established
•Multiple revenue streams
•Strong brand

Year 6+: Maintain

•Systems mature
•Team delivering (if applicable)
•Referrals flowing
•Six figures achieved

Metrics to track:

•Cases per month
•Average case value
•Conversion rate
•Lead sources
•Time per case
•Net margin

Reality check:

Six figures is achievable but requires sustained effort over years. Most people who pursue it are happy they did. Some discover they prefer balance. Both outcomes are fine.

Resources: