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Estate Planner Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Sr Estate Planner

Louisville, KY · On-site

$110K - $190K/yr

An ideal background would be an estate planning attorney with years of experience dealing with the complex estate issues of clients with $2,000,000 to $20,000,000 or more in assets. The Impact You'll ...

Sr Estate Planner

Seattle, WA · On-site

$110K - $190K/yr

An ideal background would be an estate planning attorney with years of experience dealing with the complex estate issues of clients with $2,000,000 to $20,000,000 or more in assets. The Impact You'll ...

Sr Estate Planner

Louisville, KY · On-site

$110K - $190K/yr

An ideal background would be an estate planning attorney with years of experience dealing with the complex estate issues of clients with $2,000,000 to $20,000,000 or more in assets. The Impact You'll ...

Sr Estate Planner

Canonsburg, PA · On-site

$110K - $190K/yr

An ideal background would be an estate planning attorney with years of experience dealing with the complex estate issues of clients with $2,000,000 to $20,000,000 or more in assets. The Impact You'll ...

Sr Estate Planner

Louisville, KY · On-site

$110K - $190K/yr

An ideal background would be an estate planning attorney with years of experience dealing with the complex estate issues of clients with $2,000,000 to $20,000,000 or more in assets. The Impact You'll ...

Sr Estate Planner

Wexford, PA · On-site

$110K - $190K/yr

An ideal background would be an estate planning attorney with years of experience dealing with the complex estate issues of clients with $2,000,000 to $20,000,000 or more in assets. The Impact You'll ...

Estate Planning Attorney (Probate, Guardianships, Medicaid Planning) - Hybrid New York, NY / Hackensack, NJ Salary: $120,000 - $130,000 Hybrid Schedule | Temp-to-Perm Opportunity NY Wills & Estates ...

Estate Planning Attorney

New York, NY · On-site

$120K - $130K/yr

Description Estate Planning Attorney (Probate, Guardianships, Medicaid Planning) - Hybrid New York, NY / Hackensack, NJ Salary: $120,000 - $130,000 Hybrid Schedule | Temp-to-Perm Opportunity NY Wills ...

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Estate Planner information

What is the difference between Estate Planner vs Financial Advisor?

AspectEstate PlannerFinancial Advisor
CredentialsLegal or estate planning certifications (e.g., CFP, JD)Financial planning certifications (e.g., CFP, ChFC)
Work EnvironmentLaw firms, estate planning firms, or independent practiceFinancial institutions, advisory firms, or independent
Industry UsageFocuses on estate and succession planningFocuses on investment, retirement, and wealth management

While both Estate Planners and Financial Advisors help clients manage their wealth, Estate Planners specialize in estate and succession planning, often with legal expertise, whereas Financial Advisors focus on investment strategies and financial growth. Understanding these differences helps clients choose the right professional for their specific needs.

What does an estate planner do?

An estate planner helps clients organize and prepare their assets for transfer after death through legal documents such as wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. They analyze financial situations, advise on estate strategies, and ensure legal compliance, often working with attorneys and financial advisors. Certification as a Certified Estate Planner or similar credential is common in this field.

What qualifications do you need to be an estate planner?

To become an estate planner, typically a bachelor's degree in law, finance, or a related field is required, along with relevant licensing or certification such as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or estate planning designation. Strong knowledge of estate laws, tax regulations, and financial planning skills are essential, and many estate planners have backgrounds as attorneys, financial advisors, or accountants.

What Is an Estate Planner?

An estate planner handles the assets, insurance, and financial matters for a person with a family, in the event of their death. Upon the client’s passing, you oversee all of the affairs to ensure the assets are distributed as intended and the family meets the healthcare or burial wishes. Experience in financial planning is vital, as well as strong communication skills and legal knowledge. An individual seeks out the help of an estate planner while they are still healthy or mentally capable of making financial decisions. You then help them understand what their family will go through when it comes to tax matters, life insurance claims, probate, or trust funds after their passing.

Can I be an estate planner without being a lawyer?

Estate planners often have legal backgrounds, but it is not mandatory to be a lawyer to work in this field. Many estate planners hold certifications such as Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Accredited Estate Planner (AEP) and focus on estate tax strategies, trust management, and financial planning. However, certain legal tasks, like drafting wills or trusts, typically require a licensed attorney.

Is estate planning in demand?

Estate planning is a growing field due to an aging population and increasing awareness of wealth transfer strategies. Estate planners, often holding certifications like the Certified Estate Planner (CEP), are in demand to help clients create wills, trusts, and other estate documents, especially in regions with complex legal requirements. The profession offers opportunities in law firms, financial advisory firms, and independent practice settings.

What are some common challenges faced by estate planners when working with clients?

Estate planners often encounter challenges such as navigating complex family dynamics, keeping up with frequently changing tax laws, and ensuring that clients' wishes are accurately documented and legally enforceable. Additionally, they must communicate complex legal concepts in a way that clients can easily understand, and coordinate with other professionals like accountants and financial advisors to create comprehensive plans. Building trust with clients and maintaining confidentiality are also crucial aspects of the role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Estate Planner, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Estate Planner, you need a solid understanding of estate law, tax regulations, and financial planning, typically supported by a law degree or relevant certifications such as CFP or CTFA. Familiarity with estate planning software, legal document drafting tools, and tax preparation systems is common in this field. Excellent interpersonal skills, discretion, and strong communication are crucial for building client trust and navigating sensitive family and financial matters. These skills ensure the creation of effective, compliant estate plans that protect client interests and foster long-term relationships.
What cities are hiring for Estate Planner jobs? Cities with the most Estate Planner job openings:
What states have the most Estate Planner jobs? States with the most job openings for Estate Planner jobs include:
Infographic showing various Estate Planner job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution.
Sr Estate Planner

Sr Estate Planner

Baird

Louisville, KY • On-site

$110K - $190K/yr

Full-time

Posted 11 days ago


Baird rating

8.6

Company rating: 8.6 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

About The Role:
Create relationships with Baird Financial Advisors and discuss their most important and complex client estate planning situations. Participate directly in client conference calls and meetings. On your own initiative and at the request of FAs, review documents and research information to answer specific estate planning questions and to create comprehensive, customized estate planning reports for clients using our estate planning tools. Activities and duties require a high level of expertise, organization, and personal initiative. An ideal background would be an estate planning attorney with years of experience dealing with the complex estate issues of clients with $2,000,000 to $20,000,000 or more in assets.
The Impact You'll Make:
  • Be able to answer all basic estate planning questions from FAs and their clients. For more advanced questions or issues, be able to research an answer and/or direct FAs to the appropriate resources. This includes questions regarding issues such as tax planning, beneficiary designations, asset titling, the impact of trusts in planning, and trust and estate administration. Also be able to provide support on other tax and financial planning-related questions as available
  • Actively discuss estate planning issues with Baird FAs, offering opinions and implications as appropriate. Communication will be through conference calls, in-person meetings, formal and informal emails, formal memos, and formal estate planning documents. May include occasional travel
  • Serve as an author of articles on trust and estate planning concepts for internal audiences and external client groups. Be available for occasional public speaking opportunities, including training sessions for FAs or speaking to client groups and centers of influence (attorneys and accountants)
  • Develop comprehensive, customized estate planning reports and analysis using estate planning software Help explain the results of the plan to FAs prior to, and sometimes during, delivery to the client. Be able to assist FAs in the delivery of estate plans to clients, as well as to engage in a discussion with clients regarding the details and implications of the plans
  • Work directly with the FAs to confirm or complete data in Estate Planning Questionnaire Includes review of client documents and interpretation of legal documents
  • Work with our internal resources (Operations, Legal, etc) to ensure policies and procedures are appropriately designed and correctly applied, and offer suggestions on ways to improve Work with Legal Department to resolve client disputes as needed
  • Have a thorough understanding of the formal estate planning process and how it relates to an overall financial plan and be able to explain and adapt the process to apply to numerous scenarios, both with individual FAs and as part of firm-wide initiatives
  • Have an understanding of the products and services offered within a brokerage environment, including life insurance, long-term care insurance, and annuities, and be able to work with representatives of those departments
  • Perform other duties as assigned

What You'll Bring To Baird:
  • Bachelor's degree required Business or Finance preferred JD a strong preference; other advanced degree(s) a plus Minimum of five years previous estate planning experience required; financial planning experience a plus
  • Experience drafting estate planning documents, administering estates, serving as trustee and defending estate plans to the IRS preferred
  • Basic brokerage licenses (SIE Series 7, 66) preferred, or must have the ability to earn such certifications quickly Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or similar license and experience in the brokerage industry a plus
  • Strong communication skills, both over the phone and in person, and strong computer skills, including working knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet software and internet functions
  • Ability to balance multiple projects and work under strict deadlines at times, to work independently on projects, and to effectively relate to others in order to accomplish work responsibilities and objectives, including acting as a team player with others in the department

Compensation and Benefits:
  • $110,000-$190,000 annual salary range
  • Bonus potential targeted at 35% of base pay
  • Compensation and bonus are commensurate with experience, performance and/or firm profitability
  • Check out our Total Rewards at Baird , for a summary of our benefits and compensation
  • Applications accepted on a rolling basis

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