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.
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.
“I am a big believer in your designation courses. They add tremendous value in what we do for our clients. These courses help professionals be more valuable to the people they serve. The country is full of everyday Americans who believe they are in good shape, but the reality is they are not. They count on specialists to have the knowledge that is not available in a 4-year degree. Thank you for providing this avenue. I refer many people to IBF on a regular basis and will continue to do that.”
Jeffrey Mohlman, CES™
What the program covers
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.
Is this the right designation for you?
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.
How it works
- 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
- Reference Atlas with annually updated data
- Up to 55 CE credits upon completion
“I am a big believer in your designation courses. They add tremendous value in what we do for our clients. These courses help professionals be more valuable to the people they serve. The country is full of everyday Americans who believe they are in good shape, but the reality is they are not. They count on specialists to have the knowledge that is not available in a 4-year degree. Thank you for providing this avenue. I refer many people to IBF on a regular basis and will continue to do that.”
Earn up to 55 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.
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Ready to earn your CES™?
Up to 55 CE credits. 55–70 study hours. Four ways to learn every chapter. Start today.