How to Become an Estate Planner
An estate planner does more than write wills. That is the whole difference, and it is worth roughly double per client.
Project Will · Published 14 September 2026
An estate planner advises on the whole arrangement rather than a single document: wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, trusts, lifetime gifting, business succession and inheritance tax.
Neither title is protected, so anyone can use either. The practical difference is scope — and scope is what moves an average client from £300 to £1,200.
What an estate planner covers that a will writer may not#
| Why it matters | |
|---|---|
| Lasting Powers of Attorney | The incapacity half of the problem, and the one families regret most |
| Property protection and life interest trusts | Second marriages, protecting a share of the home |
| Discretionary trusts | Vulnerable beneficiaries, blended families, flexibility |
| Severance of joint tenancy | Without it, most property trusts do nothing at all |
| Inheritance tax | Nil rate band, residence nil rate band, exemptions, reliefs, gifting |
| Business succession | Shareholdings, partnership agreements, business property relief |
| Deeds of variation | Fixing what the will did not anticipate |
The route#
1. Learn the law properly. Trusts and capacity are where competence actually matters. Project Will's training is free and UKRLP-registered (UKPRN 10101187) — the same ground others charge £600 to £1,000 for.
2. Get accredited. Free with Project Will, with a published standard and a public register. In an unregulated field, being checkable is your differentiator.
3. Know your limits and refer. Complex IHT planning, contentious probate, offshore assets and anything involving a business of real size should go to someone who does it daily. Knowing what to refer is a professional skill, not an admission.
4. Build the practice. See starting a will writing business.
5. Then get the tools. Willo drafts wills, LPAs and trusts in one place for £150 a month, which is roughly one client's fee.
Why "estate planner" is worth the extra study#
A will-only client is a one-off transaction. An estate planning client is a relationship: the will now, the LPAs this year, a trust when the parents' care situation changes, a review after the second marriage, and eventually their children as clients.
Same marketing spend. Several times the lifetime value.
Related#
How to become a will writer · Do you need qualifications? · What is estate planning? · Training
Before you ask.
What is the difference between a will writer and an estate planner?
A will writer drafts wills. An estate planner advises on the whole arrangement — wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, trusts, lifetime gifting, business succession and inheritance tax exposure. The titles are not protected and are often used interchangeably, but in practice the difference is scope, and it shows in the average fee.
How do I become an estate planner in the UK?
Train in wills, LPAs and trusts; get accredited so clients can check you; and build a practice. There is no licensing requirement because will writing is not a reserved legal activity. Project Will's training is free and UKRLP-registered.
See it draft one of your cases.
Book a walkthrough with someone who drafts in Willo every day. They will open your kind of case, not a demo script, and you can stop them and ask anything.
Or call 0333 049 5033 — Mon–Fri, 9am–6pm.