Course Details
Author: Carolynn Tomin, CFP®; Colleen Carcone, J.D., CFP®
Carolynn B. Tomin, CFP®
Carolynn B. Tomin specializes in financial education. She is the Program Director for Boston University’s classroom and online financial planning programs and has augmented curriculum for the online program for fifteen years. She has taught estate planning courses, virtual reviews, and CFP® Certification Exam reviews for twenty years at colleges in Massachusetts and Florida, and for many banks and financial service companies in both states. As cofounder of a financial education company, Beacon Hill Financial Educators, she developed and presented continuing education courses to many financial service corporations and financial planning organizations. Ms. Tomin served as a member of CFP Board’s Council on Education from 2009–2012, and was appointed Chair in 2012. She has also served on the board of directors for the southwest Florida chapter of the Financial Planning Association (FPA). She is a former member of the Boston Estate Planning Council.
Colleen Carcone, J.D., CFP®
Colleen Carcone is a financial planning professional and attorney specializing in comprehensive estate and tax planning matters. Since 2008, Ms. Carcone has taught estate planning at Boston University’s Program for Financial Planning. Ms. Carcone also serves as a Wealth Planning Strategist for TIAA, where she provides wealth transfer, estate planning, and tax planning services for the company’s client needs. Prior to joining TIAA, Ms. Carcone worked with Atlantic Trust Company, where she advised high-net-worth clients on all aspects of estate planning including basic planning, asset ownership, charitable gifting, multigenerational transfers, and other sophisticated estate planning strategies while working with clients’ outside advisors to implement these techniques. Formerly, Ms. Carcone worked with Atlantic Benefit Group, an insurance firm, advising high-net-worth individuals and business owners and providing assistance with the implementation of advanced estate and business planning techniques utilizing life insurance.
Publication/Revision Date: 7/1/2026
Course Exam Questions (online): 145 (multiple-choice)
Program Delivery Method: Self-Study (NASBA QAS Self-Study)
Available Formats of Course Text: Downloadable PDF, Printed/Mailed
Course Level, Prerequisites, and Advance Preparation Requirements
| License | Course Level | Prerequisites | Advance Preparation Requirements |
|---|
| CPA | Advanced | Significant Knowledge of Estate Planning | None |
| CFP® | Advanced | Significant Knowledge of Estate Planning | None |
Sponsor ID Numbers
National Registry of CPE Sponsors I.D.: 107615
CFP Board Sponsor I.D.: 1008 — Course I.D.: 257116
State CPA Board Sponsor ID Numbers (where applicable)
Florida Division of Certified Public Accounting: 0004761
Hawaii Board of Public Accountancy: 14003
New York State Board for Public Accountancy: 002146
Ohio Accountancy Board: CPE .51 PSR
Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy: PX178025
Texas State Board of Public Accountancy: 009349
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
Chapter 1: Introduction to Estate Planning
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Recognize the importance of estate planning and what it can accomplish.
- Identify the unauthorized practice of law.
- Identify the financial planning practitioner's role and responsibilities in the estate planning process.
- List fiduciary duties and identify the parties that would be subject to them.
Chapter 2: Property Interests
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Compare and contrast the most common forms of property ownership and how they affect the gross estate, the probate estate, marital deductions, and step-up in basis.
- Understand the implications of how property ownership affects the manner in which assets will be distributed at a decedent's death.
Chapter 3: Community Property
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify the types of property that are community property interests and those that are not.
- Understand the implications of moving from a community property state to a non-community property state and vice versa.
Chapter 4: Methods of Property Transfer at Death
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Understand the characteristics and consequences of using alternative methods of transferring property at death, including contracts, trusts, and property passing by operation of law.
- Select the most appropriate property transfer mechanism for a client's situation.
Chapter 5: The Probate Process
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Understand the probate process, its advantages, disadvantages, and costs.
- Know the various ways to avoid probate.
- Recognize the implications of ancillary probate.
Chapter 6: Wills
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify the types of wills and the manner in which assets will pass per the terms of a will.
- Understand the legal requirements of a will.
- Understand the manner in which a will can be modified or revoked.
Chapter 7: Planning for Incapacity and Special Circumstances
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify the different documents that provide for incapacity planning.
- Compare the different types of powers of attorney.
- Know the provisions that should be contained in a power of attorney.
- Recognize the importance of coordinating special needs trust planning with available government benefits.
- Understand the need to coordinate Medicaid planning with state law.
Chapter 8: Trusts
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Define and describe the uses of the four types of trusts, including revocable, irrevocable, inter-vivos, and testamentary.
- Know the basic components of trusts, including identifying the parties to a trust.
- Identify and explain the operating terms of a trust and the dispositive provisions of a trust.
Chapter 9: Income Taxation of Trusts, Estates, and Beneficiaries
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Recognize the income tax consequences of simple versus complex trusts.
- Identify a grantor trust.
- Describe the tax consequences for both the decedent and heir/beneficiary for income included in a decedent's gross estate and/or final income tax return.
- Calculate the IRD deduction for one or more sources.
Chapter 10: Gifting Strategies
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Recognize the tax and non-tax advantages of gifting.
- Identify the best property interests to gift, according to a client's objectives.
- Know the purpose and nature of the gift tax law.
- Recognize when a completed transfer has occurred.
Chapter 11: Gift Tax Calculation
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify exempt gifts.
- Calculate taxable gifts.
- Calculate the current year's gift tax liability.
- Calculate the amount of unified credit that remains after a taxable gift is made.
- Recognize that taxable gifts are reported as adjusted taxable gifts on the estate tax return.
Chapter 12: Gifts to Minors
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Know the tax advantages of making lifetime gifts to minors.
- Understand the similarities and differences between a UGMA account and a UTMA account.
- Identify the income tax-shifting strategies available for families.
Chapter 13: The Gross Estate
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Know property included in a decedent's estate.
- Identify which separately owned property interests are included in a decedent's gross estate.
Chapter 14: Estate Tax Calculation
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify which deductions may be taken from the gross estate.
- Determine which credits are available to a decedent to reduce the estate tax.
- Demonstrate how to compute an estate tax for different client situations.
Chapter 15: The Marital Deduction
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Understand the appropriate use of the marital deduction for estate planning purposes.
- Define the requirements for a qualified transfer.
- Determine the amount of a marital deduction for all property interests included in a decedent spouse's estate.
- Know the requirements of a qualified domestic trust.
Chapter 16: Marital Trusts and Planning Techniques
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Describe the tax and nontax characteristics of the bypass trust.
- Evaluate when a particular marital trust should be used to meet clients' estate planning objectives.
- Know the relationship between the marital deduction and the qualified terminable interest property trust.
- Determine when estate equalization should be used to minimize tax on a couple's combined estates.
- Know the benefits and disadvantages of portability.
Chapter 17: Charitable Transfers
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Know the income, gift, and estate tax consequences of charitable transfers.
- Identify and select the various charitable transfer vehicles that are appropriate for a client based on current and future income needs and tax advantages.
- Understand the differences between charitable remainder trusts and a charitable lead trust.
Chapter 18: State Death Tax Deduction
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Understand the difference between the state death tax deduction and the state death tax credit.
- Know the differences between a sponge tax, inheritance tax, and estate tax at the state level.
Chapter 19: Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify the circumstances that trigger the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax.
- Know when an annual exclusion applies to a gift made to a skip person or a skip person trust.
- Recognize how the GST exemption is allocated to different transfers to reduce or eliminate the GST tax.
- Calculate the federal GST tax on a lifetime gift and on a bequest.
Chapter 20: Powers of Appointment
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Distinguish general powers of appointments from special powers.
- Understand the gift and estate tax implications of powers of appointment.
- Understand how Crummey powers affect gift and estate taxes for grantors and trust beneficiaries.
Chapter 21: Life Insurance Planning
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify the most appropriate types of insurance policies to meet specific client objectives.
- Evaluate the estate, probate, and gift tax consequences of owning and transferring a life insurance policy.
Chapter 22: Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Know and contrast the characteristics and tax aspects of a funded ILIT with an unfunded ILIT.
- Recognize the advantages and tax implications of dynasty trusts.
Chapter 23: Estate Planning with Retirement Benefits
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Understand the distribution options available to different classes of beneficiaries of retirement plans.
- Recognize the income tax implications that a beneficiary faces upon receiving retirement plan assets.
Chapter 24: Estate Freeze Strategies
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Know when and how to apply the preferred stock recapitalization technique.
- Recognize the circumstances when a qualified interest trust is appropriate for clients.
- Evaluate the gift and estate tax ramifications of using GRITs, GRATs, GRUTs, and QPRTs.
Chapter 25: Intra-family and Other Business Transfer Techniques
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Compare and contrast the different types of business transfer techniques.
- Know the gift and estate tax implications of each business transfer technique.
- Recommend appropriate business transfer techniques such as installment sales, private annuities, SCINs.
Chapter 26: Family Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Family Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies.
- Evaluate how family limited partnerships and limited liability companies might apply to a client's situation.
- Understand gift and estate tax implications for FLPs and LLCs.
Chapter 27: Business Planning Strategies
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify the different types of insurance policies and ownership arrangements available to business owners and employees.
- Know the considerations involved in business succession planning.
- Understand the purpose and structure of business continuation agreements.
- Identify the various types of postmortem planning techniques available to business owners and recognize when they can be implemented.
Chapter 28: Planning for Divorce, Unmarried Couples and Other Special Circumstances
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify the impact of divorce and/or remarriage on an estate plan, including asset titling and distribution, changes in beneficiary status, and selection of heirs.
- Know how asset ownership, tax laws, and government policies affect estate planning for same-sex or unmarried couples.
- Identify the legal documents, agreements, and trusts that benefit individuals in nontraditional relationships.
Chapter 29: The Intersection of Income and Estate Tax Planning
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Describe client considerations for structuring a tax-efficient legacy.
- Compare the advantages and disadvantages of lifetime gifts to individuals and charity.
- Identify the income tax effects of property gifted or bequeathed to individuals, trusts and charity.
- Evaluate the income tax implications of portability; bypass trust planning and qualified disclaimers.
Chapter 30: Common Estate Planning Considerations
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify the types of trusts, techniques, and deductions that reduce the estate tax base.
