Estate planning is the general term for getting financial affairs in order before death. A well-crafted plan can help avoid disputes that may arise and can keep details about your clients' family financial affairs private. Since estate planning is an involved process, it is important to know about all the aspects involved to help your clients make the right decisions for their future. 

This course examines the various aspects of estate planning and the use of life insurance for this purpose. Ideal for those who specialize in advanced planning areas, this course provides an overview of the issues associated with estate settlement and includes a discussion of the probate estate and the federal gross estate.

Upon conclusion of this course, students will be able to:

• explain the differences between an estate for tax purposes and a probate estate
• identify those assets that comprise the federal gross estate
• demonstrate an understanding of the difference between inheritance taxes and estate taxes
• explain the typical beneficiary classifications for state inheritance tax purposes
• explain how gifts are taxed under the federal gift tax system
• identify the deductions and credits allowed under the federal system of estate taxation
• describe the common trusts employed in estate tax planning
• perform an estate tax calculation