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AEP®

Accredited Estate Planner®

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Best For

Financial professionals looking to specialize in estate planning.

Timing

3-6 Months

Format

Call the admissions department at 866-372-5289 or email GraduateSchool@​theamericancollege.edu.

100% Virtual

Tuition

Starting at $1,995/course

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Discover the AEP®

Specialized Estate Planning Knowledge

Distinguish yourself as an estate planning specialist and a valuable member of a holistic planning team.

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AEP® Program at a Glance

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Admissions Requirements

The AEP® is awarded by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC). The designation is available to individuals who hold one or more of the following designations or degrees in active status and good standing:

Attorneys (JD) 
CAP® Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®
Chartered Life Underwriter® 
Chartered Financial Analyst  
Certified Public Accountant  
Certified Trust and Financial Advisor  
Certified Private Wealth Advisor®  
Chartered Financial Consultant®  
Certified Specialist in Planned Giving  
Master of Science in Financial Services  
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

Students with less than 15 years of estate planning experience must satisfy the education requirements. Visit NAEPC.

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Tuition & Scholarships

Program tuition can be paid on a per-course basis. Tuition covers all required study materials, access to convenient online learning tools, and your examination. The materials provided include:

  • Downloadable content for easy following
  • Video lectures and expert interviews

Individual course cost (for all except GS 839 and GS 849): $1,995

Individual course cost for GS 839 and GS 849: $2,050

Scholarship opportunities are available for those who qualify, learn more here.

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What You'll Learn

In this program, you will build the skills you need to deliver sophisticated estate planning services. You will complete two courses, including a required course and an elective. These courses are designed to meet the requirements of the NAEPC accreditation process.

Your learning outcomes will include:

  • Detailed knowledge of tax law and tax planning for estates
  • Strategies for transferring property during clients’ lifetimes and after death
  • Approaches to integrating life insurance planning into your estate strategies
  • Tools for effective charitable giving
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Course Delivery

Study at your own pace, engage through virtual office hours, and receive support from the nation’s preeminent estate planning thought leaders and our academic advising team.

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Why Become an AEP®

50%

Increase in the number of 18-34 year olds with estate planning documents has occurred since the pandemic.1

63%

Of high-income earners without a will say they haven’t got around to it – a major opportunity for you.2

67%

Of Americans report they have no estate plan.3

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The AEP® is Right For You If:

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You Are Ready to Specialize

In-Depth Skills Benefit Experienced Professionals

Qualified financial professionals know that offering specialized services can drive growth and boost their business. The AEP® can support your path to specialization.

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You Care About Your Clients

Estate Planning Matters to Clients

Effective estate planning is a core part of financial well-being for your clients. The AEP® can help you deliver what they truly need.

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You Want to Stand Out

The AEP® Sets You Apart from the Competition

When clients need estate planning services, your AEP® designation gives them confidence in your knowledge, skills, and commitment to excellence.

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Inside the AEP® Program

Courses to Complete

Two

Typical Completion Time

3-6 Months

MSFP 615 Advanced Estate Mgmt. and Planned Giving

This course is an advanced gift and estate planning course which presents an overview of the basics.

Upon completion of this course, you’ll be able to:

  • Understand gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax law and tax computation processes
  • Identify key considerations related to the ownership and taxation of transfers of property during lifetime and at death.
  • Provide charitable giving planning advice
  • Evaluate the role of life insurance planning in estate planning

MSFP 589 Fin Statement Analysis and Small Business Valuation (ELECTIVE)

Examines a broad set of business finance skills and concepts to help serve small and family business clients.

Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:

  • Understand the basics fundamentals of corporate finance
  • Cover the numbers language that is required for a business
  • Understand the connection of a firm owner’s personal assets and their business assets
  • Use financial measures to understand a company’s strengths and areas for future focus and development
  • Guide clients in navigating how a major concentration of their personal wealth contained in the value of their business impacts their financial future
  • Help firm owners achieve their personal financial goals along with their business goals

MSFP 543 Business Succession Strategies (ELECTIVE)

This elective course covers advanced topics in business succession planning.

This knowledge will help you:

  • Facilitate business succession planning objectives through charitable transfers
  • Distinguish between the different estate planning needs of those with family limited partnerships and limited-liability companies
  • Value sales and gifts of business interests using discounting techniques
  • Use retirement plan strategies to facilitate succession planning

GS 839 Planning for Impact in Context of Family Wealth (ELECTIVE)

This elective course focuses on wealth in families.

After completion of this course, you'll be able to:

  • Elicit client or donor goals for self, family and society 
  • Convene a team to achieve those goals now, later, at death or beyond death, through a financial plan, business exit plan, estate plan, or gift plan

GS 849 Charitable Giving Strategies (ELECTIVE)

This elective course explores charitable tax strategies, tools, and techniques.

After completion of this course, you'll be able to:

  • Open a client-specific or donor-specific conversation about the features and benefits of appropriate charitable tools
  • Convene a planning team, or in simpler cases, close for the gift

MSFP 584 Executive Compensation (ELECTIVE)

The executive pay package is designed to drive the performance of the executives, owners, or leaders themselves as well as the organization. Through this course, students will:

  • Understand executive pay packages such as base salary, bonus, short- and long-term incentives, executive perks, and other benefits
  • Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of these components, including taxation, policy, and regulations (ERISA)
  • Learn how to leverage this knowledge to advise their clients or apply to their own situations
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Empower Your Career. Enroll Today.

The AEP® designation recognizes true expertise and excellence in estate planning. Enroll in our AEP® program today to begin your journey.

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footnotes

1 Caring.com. 2022 Wills and Estate Planning Study. 2022.

2 Caring.com. 2022 Wills and Estate Planning Study. 2022.

3 CNBC. 67% of Americans have no estate plan, survey finds. Here’s how to get started on one. April 11, 2022.