What Do Estate Planners Do All Day? Daily Life Revealed

What does a typical day look like?

No two days are identical, but here's a realistic picture of estate planner work:

Morning (9:00-12:00):

• •Check emails and voicemails
• •Prepare for client meetings
• •Review yesterday's notes
• •Client meeting 1 (new enquiry consultation)
• •Client meeting 2 (document signing appointment)

Lunch (12:00-13:00):

• •Break (if working from home)
• •Travel between appointments (if mobile)
• •Admin catch-up

Afternoon (13:00-17:00):

• •Document preparation from morning meetings
• •Follow-up calls to prospects
• •Client meeting 3 (initial consultation)
• •File updates and notes
• •Email correspondence
• •Next day preparation

The balance varies:

• •Some days: All client-facing
• •Some days: Mostly documentation
• •Some days: Admin and marketing heavy
• •Flexibility is part of the appeal

The core of estate planning work.

Initial consultations (60-90 minutes):

What happens:

• •Build rapport and trust
• •Understand family situation
• •Discuss assets and wishes
• •Explain options (wills, LPAs, trusts)
• •Gather information for documents
• •Agree fees and next steps

Typical questions you'll ask:

• •Who would you like to inherit your estate?
• •Do you have any specific gifts in mind?
• •Who should look after minor children?
• •Have you thought about powers of attorney?
• •What happens if your spouse dies first?

Emotional aspects:

• •Clients discussing their mortality
• •Family tensions emerging
• •Difficult decisions about children
• •Concerns about care in old age
• •Sometimes tears, sometimes relief

Follow-up meetings (30-60 minutes):

• •Review drafted documents
• •Check accuracy
• •Answer questions
• •Witness signatures
• •Explain storage and next steps

Meeting locations:

• •Client's home (common)
• •Your office (if you have one)
• •Video call (increasingly accepted)
• •Neutral venue (café, library)

See Is Estate Planning Hard for emotional challenges.

Turning conversations into legal documents.

After client meetings:

1. Information review:

• •Check notes for completeness
• •Clarify any unclear points
• •Research specific requirements

2. Document drafting:

• •Using professional software
• •Select appropriate clauses
• •Customise for specific situation
• •Built-in compliance checks

3. Quality control:

• •Review for accuracy
• •Check against client instructions
• •Ensure consistency
• •Final proofread

Types of documents prepared:

• •Wills (simple to complex)
• •Mirror wills for couples
• •Lasting Powers of Attorney (Property/Health)
• •Trust documentation
• •Severance of joint tenancy
• •Letter of wishes
• •Client summaries

Time per case:

• •Simple will: 1-2 hours
• •Complex will with trusts: 3-4 hours
• •Pair of LPAs: 1.5-2 hours
• •Full estate planning package: 4-6 hours

Software importance:

Good software significantly reduces preparation time and error risk.

See Estate Planning Software Guide for tools.

The behind-the-scenes work.

Daily admin:

• •Email management
• •Appointment scheduling
• •File updates and notes
• •Client communication
• •Document storage

Weekly tasks:

• •Accounts and invoicing
• •Follow-up calls
• •Lead management
• •Calendar planning
• •CPD/learning

Monthly tasks:

• •Business accounts
• •Marketing review
• •Performance analysis
• •Professional development
• •Networking events

If independent:

• •Marketing activities
• •Website/social media
• •Referral relationship building
• •Business planning
• •Insurance and compliance

If employed:

• •Reporting to management
• •Team meetings
• •Training sessions
• •Performance reviews
• •Less business admin

Time allocation (typical full-time):

• •Client meetings: 40-50%
• •Document preparation: 25-30%
• •Administration: 15-20%
• •Marketing/business development: 5-15%

One of the career's biggest attractions.

Hours and scheduling:

Full-time employed:

• •Standard 35-40 hours
• •Set diary of appointments
• •Some evening flexibility
• •Typically Monday-Friday

Self-employed full-time:

• •30-45 hours typical
• •Choose your appointment times
• •Can work evenings if desired
• •Control over schedule

Part-time patterns:

• •10-20 hours per week common
• •School hours possible
• •Evenings only possible
• •Weekend appointments possible

See Estate Planning Part-Time Guide for flexible options.

Location flexibility:

Home-based:

• •Save on office costs
• •Video consultations
• •Visit clients at their homes
• •Most common setup

Office-based:

• •Professional appearance
• •Separation from home
• •Higher costs
• •Some prefer structure

Mobile:

• •Client home visits
• •Local meeting points
• •Travel time to factor
• •Fuel costs

Work-life balance:

Estate planning offers genuine flexibility once established. Many practitioners design their schedule around family commitments, hobbies, or other priorities.

Why practitioners enjoy the work:

Every client is different:

• •Different family situations
• •Different assets and concerns
• •Different communication styles
• •Learning something new regularly

Intellectual stimulation:

• •Problem-solving for families
• •Tax and trust planning
• •Keeping up with law changes
• •Complex situations to navigate

Meaningful work:

• •Genuinely helping families
• •Peace of mind for clients
• •Protecting children and dependants
• •Making a difference

Challenges to acknowledge:

Emotional weight:

• •Death and incapacity discussions daily
• •Client distress sometimes
• •Difficult family situations
• •Need for emotional boundaries

Business responsibility (if independent):

• •Income not guaranteed
• •Marketing never stops
• •Business decisions are yours
• •Isolation can occur

Keeping current:

• •Law changes
• •Tax updates
• •Software developments
• •Ongoing learning required

What successful practitioners say:

"The variety keeps it interesting. No two clients are the same, and you're genuinely helping people protect their families."

Resources:

• •Career Change to Estate Planning
• •How to Become an Estate Planner UK
• •Estate Planner Salary UK