Curriculum | Wealth and Trust School Level 1

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Breakfast

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Registration

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Welcome, school overview and networking

8:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Trust fundamentals

This course will provide you with a foundation to learn basic trust concepts, such as trust requirements, roles and responsibilities of the trust parties, common components of trust agreements, types of trust assets, how titling of assets affects ownership, and the duties and powers of the trustee.

• Jennifer Galvagna

11:15 AM – 12:15 PM

Discretionary distributions – Part 1

Discretionary distributions explains specific trust guidance for discretionary distributions, trust language, and common discretionary standards. A series of case studies illustrate how trust beneficiary circumstances and taxes affect discretionary distribution decisions, offering trustees tools to understand their duty and prevent the risk of litigation. It also describes the documentation requirements associated with discretionary distributions.

• Mark Oller

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM

Lunch

1:15 PM – 2:15 PM

Discretionary distributions – Part 2

Discretionary distributions explains specific trust guidance for discretionary distributions, trust language, and common discretionary standards. A series of case studies illustrate how trust beneficiary circumstances and taxes affect discretionary distribution decisions, offering trustees tools to understand their duty and prevent the risk of litigation. It also describes the documentation requirements associated with discretionary distributions.

• Mark Oller

2:30 PM – 2:45 PM

CTFA presentation

• ABA staff

2:45 PM – 4:45 PM

Account acceptance and termination

This course explores the importance of risk management in the account acceptance process. The course identifies account acceptance considerations for fiduciary professionals and describes the steps in the account acceptance process and fiduciary responsibilities. The course also explains common reasons for account termination, termination procedures, and best practices.

• Sahar Pouyanrad

5:15 PM – 6:15 PM

Welcome reception

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Breakfast

8:00 AM – 10:15 AM

Integrated planning and advice

This course provides a foundational overview of an advisor's role in helping clients achieve their wealth goals and objectives. It explains the various steps in the financial planning process. It offers tools to help advisors plan and assist clients using each stage's characteristics in the financial lifecycle through an integrated approach.

• Kent Lytle

10:30 AM – 11:45 AM

Introduction to fiduciary risk management and compliance

Fiduciary risk management and compliance requires due diligence and ongoing monitoring throughout the life of the relationship. This course provides a foundation in the regulations, bank policies and procedures, and relationship management responsibilities that impact fiduciary risk management and compliance.

• Kent Lytle

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM

Lunch

12:45 PM – 4:30 PM

Gift and estate tax planning

The gift and estate tax planning course provides details on how the marital deduction and revocable living trusts can be used as part of an overall estate plan. You will also learn the basics of lifetime giving.

• Steve Goodman

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Breakfast

8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Income taxation for high-net-worth/ultra-high-net-worth clients

This intensive two-hour session delivers a strategic, high-value discussion of income tax deferral and reduction techniques most relevant to high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients. Tailored for tax advisors, wealth managers, attorneys, and family office professionals, this course focuses on the most impactful strategies and techniques after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to protect, preserve, and grow after-tax wealth.

• Mark Benskin

10:15 AM – 12:45 PM

Retirement distribution planning

This course will detail the steps in the retirement planning process, including strategies to accumulate and then decumulate retirement funds. It will describe the beneficiary options available and ways to distribute benefits for qualified plans and IRAs, outline the requirements for qualifying for the marital deduction, and explain how to fund a credit shelter trust with proceeds from a qualified plan or IRA.

• Karin Christiansen
• Matt Manicini

12:45 PM – 1:45 PM

Lunch

1:45 PM – 2:00 PM

ABA membership presentation

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Behavioral finance

This course explains what is meant by the term “behavioral finance” and how emotions and behavior get in the way of long-term investment goals. The course explores how client biases, along with other characteristics, affect investment decisions. In addition, the course presents client profiling tactics used to uncover client biases, risk tolerance, and investment goals.

• Erik Davidson

3:45 PM – 5:15 PM

Investment policy

Investment policy explains the role of the investment policy statement (IPS) in the investment management process. The IPS answers questions about client objectives, return expectations, risk tolerance, time horizon, and portfolio allocation. You will learn how investment constraints affect how a portfolio will be constructed and managed and why they must be identified in the investment policy.

• Erik Davidson

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Bowling and bites

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Breakfast

8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Asset allocation and diversification

This course explores the foundational principles of asset allocation and portfolio diversification within the framework of an investment policy statement. It examines key concepts such as risk tolerance, rebalancing strategies, and the influence of economic theory on allocation decisions. Learners will gain insight into identifying correlations—both positive and negative—among assets to optimize diversification. The course also covers various investment styles and strategies for constructing balanced equity and fixed-income portfolios.

• Bill Stone

10:15 AM – 12:00 PM

Economics and markets

This course examines the macroeconomic forces that shape financial markets and influence investment decisions, equipping advisors with the knowledge to engage clients in more informed discussions. It highlights the critical relationship between interest rates and inflation, delves into the root causes and impacts of inflation, and explains how inflation is measured and interpreted in economic analysis.

• Bill Stone

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Fundamentals of insurance

Insurance is a critical component of a comprehensive wealth management strategy, offering protection against life’s uncertainties and preserving long-term financial security. This session provides an overview of personal and professional insurance solutions, helping advisors identify appropriate coverage options for clients across a range of needs.

• Steve Goodman

2:45 PM – 4:15 PM

Estate and probate administration

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the estate settlement process, highlighting the critical steps and immediate actions required following a death. It explores the criteria for determining whether probate is necessary and identifies the key stakeholders involved in the estate. Participants will learn about the essential documents to be filed and the fiduciary duties of estate administrators. Topics include meeting legal deadlines, safeguarding and managing assets, handling creditor claims, fulfilling tax obligations, and ensuring the proper distribution of estate property.

• Austin Bertrand

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Fiduciary ethics

This course explores the ethical responsibilities and fiduciary duties essential to professionals in wealth management and trust services. Participants will analyze real-world scenarios to understand ethical decision-making, identify potential conflicts of interest, and apply regulatory and legal standards governing fiduciary behavior. The course equips professionals with the tools to build trust, uphold integrity, and navigate complex ethical challenges in client relationships.

• Steve Goodman

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Breakfast

8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Charitable planning for high-net-worth/ultra-high-net-worth clients

This focused session offers a strategic exploration of charitable planning challenges and techniques arising as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, designed specifically for high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals and families. With philanthropy playing an increasingly central role in wealth stewardship, legacy building, and tax optimization, advisors must understand the new rules that limit charitable planning and how they integrate with broader financial and estate planning goals.

• Mark Benkin

10:15 AM – 11:45 AM

Case study

11:45 AM

Adjourn

12:00 PM

Optional lunch