CES™ Certified Estate & Trust Specialist (800) 848-2029
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IBF Designation Program

Certified Estate & Trust Specialist™

The designation for advisors who want to be the quarterback of their clients’ estate plans. Trusts, wills, beneficiary designations, incapacity planning. Not legal advice. The knowledge to coordinate the entire team.

Take the Self-Assessment → Request the IBF Catalog
CES™
Up to 60
CE Credits
55–70 hrs
Study Hours
Self-Paced
Format
With Concierge Option
Book |Audio Roundtable |Visual Blueprint |Chapter Snapshot
CFP Board Approved
State Insurance CE
PACE Approved
Overview

What you will learn

Estate planning touches every client, but most advisors hand it off to the attorney and hope for the best. The CES™ program teaches you to be the quarterback: the advisor who identifies gaps, coordinates the team, and makes sure the plan actually gets funded and maintained. Across 16 chapters, you will learn how property transfers, trusts, beneficiary designations, and tax strategies work together.

When you finish, you will know how to run a discovery process that catches what clients forget to mention, coordinate with attorneys and CPAs without stepping on anyone’s license, identify when a revocable trust needs an irrevocable complement, guide families through post-death administration, and keep plans current through life transitions. This is the designation for advisors who want to lead the planning conversation, not just participate in it.

“This program helped me dive deep into estate planning. Not just understanding trusts, but the intricacy that goes into estate planning and all the different variables.”

Tiffany Briggs, CES™

Curriculum

What the program covers

16
Chapters
2
Modules
01
Module 1 · 8 Chapters
The Quarterback’s Knowledge Foundation
The legal and financial framework every advisor needs before leading estate planning conversations.
Property ownership, transfer mechanisms, and titling
Estate and gift tax framework: exemptions, portability, and GST
Wills, probate, and beneficiary designation coordination
Retirement account inheritance: EDB vs. NEDB, SECURE Act rules
Trust fundamentals, types, and applications
02
Module 2 · 8 Chapters
The Quarterback’s Playbook
Leading the process: discovery, team coordination, implementation, and ongoing maintenance.
Discovery and needs identification for estate planning clients
Assembling and coordinating the professional team
Implementation, trust funding, and incapacity planning
Life transitions, special situations, and plan maintenance
Post-death guidance: helping families through administration
Want the full chapter breakdown? Talk to an Enrollment Advisor · Chat Now · (800) 848-2029
Explore the Program

See what the CES™ teaches before you enroll

Free tools and guides built by the same team that wrote the curriculum. No sales pitch. Just substance.

The Self-Assessment Series
Are You Leading the Estate Plan, or Just Watching?
Ten questions that reveal whether you’re coordinating the team or hoping the attorney handles it.
Interactive · 2 min
Take the Quiz
The Practice Benchmark Series
Would Your Estate Process Survive Scrutiny?
25 scenarios across trusts, tax, and succession. Find out if your approach has the blind spots families pay for.
Interactive · 10 min
Start the Benchmark
The Practitioner Brief Series
The Planning Gap Families Pay For
Most estate plans fail not because of bad documents, but because advisors missed the conversation that mattered most.
PDF Guide · Free
Download the Brief
The Specialist’s Edge Series
What an Estate Specialist Sees
The same family. Two reviews. One catches the $340,000 mistake the other walks right past.
PDF Guide · Free
Read the Analysis
1988
Established
501(c)(3)
Nonprofit
8
Designations
38 Years
Educating Advisors
Built For

Is this the right designation for you?

Financial Advisors
You want to be the coordinator clients trust for estate planning conversations, not just the person who refers them out.
Wealth Managers
You serve high-net-worth clients and need estate planning depth to match their expectations.
Insurance Professionals
You see trusts and estate structures every day. Now you need to understand them well enough to serve clients better.
What You Get

Everything you need to learn and pass

Books are the foundation. The digital materials cover the same ground in different formats, so you can start learning the day you enroll.

Chapter Books Series
Chapter Books
Core learning content for each chapter of your program.
2 volumes per program Included
Chapter Blueprints Series
Chapter Blueprints
Structured visual breakdowns that map each chapter's framework.
One per chapter Included
Chapter Snapshots Series
Chapter Snapshots
Visual one-page summaries with key data points and takeaways.
One per chapter Included
Chapter Roundtables Series
Chapter Roundtables
Audio discussions that bring each chapter's concepts to life.
One per chapter Included
Certification Process

How it works

Step One
Enroll
Register online. Digital study materials are available immediately. Books ship separately to your door.
Step Two
Study
Work through chapters at your own pace. Most students finish in 4 to 8 months at 2 to 3 hours a week. You have 12 months to complete the program, with extensions available at an additional charge.
Step Three
Assessments
Two online proctored exams (one per module) plus a case study. Practice questions for every chapter help you prepare. Retakes available if needed.
Step Four
Certify
Use the CES™ designation on your business cards, LinkedIn, and client materials. Continued use requires active membership and 30 CE credits every two years.
$1,695
One-time enrollment. Everything included.
  • All 16 chapters across 2 printed textbooks, shipped to you
  • Digital study materials: Roundtables, Blueprints, Snapshots
  • Practice questions for every chapter
  • Online proctored certification exam
  • Up to 60 CE credits upon completion
Enroll Now →
“Everything was wonderful. The materials, Fran was absolutely wonderful and very helpful, the test exams. This is a great course!”
Thomas Diorio  ·  CES™ Designee
Continuing Education

Earn up to 60 CE credits

IBF programs are approved for CE credit by state insurance departments, the CFP Board, and other regulatory bodies. Hours vary by program and state. See the full breakdown for your situation.

View CE Credit Details →
Quick Facts
CE Hours Up to 60 (varies by state)
CFP Board Approved
Insurance CE Approved in most states
PACE Approved
From The Specialist's Desk

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Ready to earn your CES™?

Up to 60 CE credits. 55–70 study hours. Four ways to learn every chapter. Start today.

Enroll Now → Call (800) 848-2029