The Estate Planner’s Podcast
This is a podcast series for Will Writers, Estate Planners and Solicitors that are interested in learning the tips, tools and technicalities to best help their clients. It covers all aspects to the Estate Planners functions including the client appointment, follow-up, drafting, attestations, registrations and concluding the service. It will explore key cases and look at client case studies for wills, trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney and probate. The aim of the podcast is to help practitioners to enhance their knowledge and skills so that the vitally important services we provide can be delivered to the highest standards for the general public. The series is presented by Antony Brinkman, who started as a will writer in 1999. In addition to running his own company, he is a tutor at the College of Will Writing and currently holds the position of chair of the Professional Standards Board for the Society of Will Writers and Estate Planning Practitioners.
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Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
In this episode, we will explore an idea that might be able to help us increase the value of our client's estates. This would be value in terms of both financial worth and the sentimental value to the future family.
Monday Dec 08, 2025
Monday Dec 08, 2025
This episode takes a look at five clauses that can be used to tailor LPAs, including: replacement attorney timing and ordering, maintenance clause, gift barring and access to the will.
Saturday Nov 15, 2025
Saturday Nov 15, 2025
This episode looks at the all-too-common response from clients that say "I'll do it myself online", when discussing LPAs. Why should clients choose to use a professional to help them create and register their LPAs?
Monday Nov 03, 2025
Monday Nov 03, 2025
This episode looks at what our duty of care is to our clients when they request simple changes to their wills in the future. How much should we be doing to explore their present time circumstances fully as opposed to making the requested changes quickly and cheaply?
Sunday Oct 19, 2025
Sunday Oct 19, 2025
The central issue in this case from September 2025 is the witnessing of the will during the early days of the Covid Pandemic. We will take a close look at the judgement and see what we can learn for our own clients when there are unusual circumstances that present themselves at that critical event.
Monday Sep 22, 2025
Monday Sep 22, 2025
This is not a straightforward answer, but the episode looks at the different options that clients have available to them when there is a Property Protection Trust in the will, and the first testator dies.
Monday Sep 08, 2025
Monday Sep 08, 2025
In this episode, we take a look at Section 33 of the Wills Act 1837, to answer the classic estate planning question: what happens if the child of a testator, who is also a beneficiary in the will, dies before the testator leaving children of their own?
Monday Aug 25, 2025
Monday Aug 25, 2025
This episode looks at rectification and construction, their differences and applications, along with some real world examples of each.
Monday Jul 28, 2025
Monday Jul 28, 2025
This case from July 2025 focuses on the forgery of a will that was "found" a couple of months after the deceased passed away. The supposed will disinherited the deceased's only daughter in favour of a man the family barely knew.
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Tuesday Jul 08, 2025
Shotguns and Firearms. Can a firearm be left as a gift in a will? If so, what considerations should be given to the gift and can we help our clients to avoid creating any unnecessary problems with this potentially serious gift?
The Estate Planners Podcast
Whether you have been an estate planner for two weeks or two decades, if you are interested in learning and improving your knowledge and skills, then I invite you to listen.
The majority of estate planners believe in what they do - that the services we bring to market have genuine value, often life-changing value, and that this is therefore far more than 'just a job'.
When a dear friend of mine passed away in 2009 at the age of 42, his several businesses, his family and the charities that he was actively involved in all suffered heavily. Whilst everyone that knew him felt the loss, so much of the suffering could have been avoided if he had made a Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney. Since that time, I have dedicated myself to doing all I can to help estate planners achieve great results for their clients so that the same unnecessary upset is avoided for others.
I happily share my observations, research and developments with you in this podcast, and I welcome your kind attention.
- Antony Brinkman