This study of estate planning is designed to equip financial planners to identify and solve estate problems from the financial planning perspective (without practicing law). The course covers a wide range of topics and issues, including tax objectives, wills and living trusts, the unlimited marital deduction, saving the "second tax," holding title to property, lifetime gifts and trusts, life insurance and annuities, business interests, post-death problems and analysis of recent tax changes as they apply to estate planning.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the course, you should be able to

• Describe in general terms what happens to a person’s estate after that person dies or becomes incapacitated, including the process it goes through to get to the heirs and how much that costs;
• Discuss specifics of an estate plan with industry professionals, such as Attorneys, Accountants, Financial Advisors, Insurance Brokers, and Financial Product Salespeople;
• Explain to clients, friends, and family what his or her estate planning issue is and who to talk to in order to get the issue resolved;
• Identify standard documents and financial products used in estate planning, including trusts, wills, powers of attorney, deeds, contracts, assignments, policies, account statements, and debt instruments.
• Understand property titling and beneficiary designations and strategies to transfer property.
• Compute gift, estate, and GST tax liabilities.
• Delineate the marital deduction.
• Comprehend intra-family and other business transfer techniques.
• Plan for divorce, unmarried couples and other special circumstances including special needs.