Build the Knowledge to Better Understand Estate Planning and Wealth Transfer
Estate planning involves complex decisions that can have a lasting impact on individuals, families, and organizations. Understanding wills, trusts, probate, and estate administration can help financial professionals better support clients and navigate important conversations.
The Wills, Trusts, and Estate Administration course provides a practical introduction to the laws, procedures, and ethical considerations involved in estate planning and administration. Learners will explore how property is transferred, how trusts are managed, and how professionals support clients through the estate planning process.
Topics Include:
- The estate plan and the purpose and need for a will
- Property concepts related to wills, trusts, and estate administration
- Participants and the proper court
- The law of succession: death testate or intestate
- Wills: validity requirements, modification, revocation, and contests
- Preparing to draft a will: checklists and client conferences
- Final draft and execution of a valid will
- Introduction to trusts
- Classification of trusts, living trusts, and other special trusts
- Estate planning
- Long-term care
- Personal representatives: types, duties, and appointment
- Probate and estate administration
- Informal probate administration
- Tax considerations in estate administration
- Ethical principles relevant to professionals involved in estate planning
How This Course Helps You and Your Organization:
This course will help you develop a stronger understanding of estate planning concepts and the processes involved in administering wills and trusts. You will gain knowledge that can help you better serve clients, recognize important estate-related considerations, and communicate more effectively with individuals navigating wealth transfer decisions.
Understanding wills, trusts, and estate administration can strengthen your professional expertise and help you provide greater value in roles involving financial services, client relationships, and compliance.
Course Details
Time to Complete: Up to 12 weeks
Once enrolled, you will receive a welcome letter and detailed course outline. The outline includes suggested due dates to help you stay on track. Throughout the course, you will complete readings and view PowerPoints where applicable. Your learning will be assessed through lessons, quizzes, and/or exams.
Flexibility is built into the Self-Study format. While courses have an established timeframe, students who prefer to move through the material more quickly may complete their coursework sooner.
Upon successful completion, you will receive a final grade, diploma evaluation, and course completion badge.
Who Should Take This Course?
This course is designed for:
- Trust officers
- Financial advisors
- Estate planners
- Loan officers
- Compliance officers
- Customer service professionals
- Legal professionals and support staff
- Anyone seeking a stronger understanding of wills, trusts, and estate administration
eBook Access Included in Tuition
Your eBook provides convenient access to course materials from any device and includes features designed to support your learning style, including highlighting, bookmarking, creating flashcards, and read-aloud functionality.
Related Topics
Instructor
Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith has been the Chief Lending Officer at Freedom Credit Union in Springfield, MA since 2013 and is in charge of managing the Commercial, Mortgage, and Consumer Lending portfolios, as well as t... read more.
