AEP®
AEP®
The Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) designation is a graduate level specialization in estate planning, obtained in addition to already recognized professional credentials within the various disciplines of estate planning. It is awarded by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC) to estate planning professionals who meet stringent requirements of experience, knowledge, education professional reputation, and character. NAEPC has designated The American College of Financial Services as the primary provider of the education courses required to earn the AEP® designation. Please visit the NAEPC’s website at www.naecp.org/aep for details and eligibility requirements before enrolling in the coursework.
Who Should Consider The AEP®?
Professional estate planners who are committed to a team-oriented approach to estate planning can obtain an accreditation that acknowledges their experience and specialization in estate planning should consider AEP®.
The Accredited Estate Planner® designation is available to attorneys, Chartered Life Underwriters®, Certified Public Accountants, Certified Trust and Financial Advisors, Chartered Financial Consultants®, and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™ who are actively engaged in estate planning and meet stringent qualifications at the time of application and commit to ongoing continuing education and recertification requirements.
For additional information, please call the admissions department at 888-263-7265 or email GraduateSchool@theamericancollege.edu.
Applicants for the AEP® designation, granted by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils, must successfully complete two graduate courses through The American College of Financial Services, as follows:
Required Course:
Advanced Estate Management and Planned Giving (MSFP 615)
MSFP 615 is an advanced gift and estate planning course which presents an overview of basic gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax law and tax computation processes. MSFP 615 also discusses the ownership and taxation of transfers of property during lifetime and at death in addition to marital, charitable giving, and life insurance planning. Family business entity planning and buy-sell agreements are also addressed in the course.
Elective Courses (Select One)
Financial Statements and Business Valuation Analysis (MSFP 589)
The first part of this course teaches students the "language of business" — accounting. It deals with understanding and analyzing financial statements to evaluate the financial stability and performance of a company. The second part of this course provides students with the knowledge of the fundamentals of equity valuation.
Business Succession Strategies (MSFP 543)
Covers advanced topics in business succession planning. Provides an overview of gift and trust taxation to illustrate how charitable transfers facilitate business succession planning objectives. Presents detailed coverage of family limited partnerships and limited-liability companies. Covers sales and gifts of business interests using discounting techniques. The course discusses the use of benefit and retirement plan strategies to facilitate succession planning. The course includes a comprehensive case study.
Planning for Impact in Context of Family Wealth (GS 839)
The focus of this course is on wealth in families and wealthy families in community with others. By the end of this course, the fundraiser and advisor should have the knowledge needed to elicit client or donor goals for self, family and society and to 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.
Charitable Giving Strategies (GS 849)
The focus of this course is on charitable tax strategies, tools, and techniques. By the end of this course, students will have the knowledge needed to open a client-specific or donor-specific conversation about the features and benefits of appropriate charitable tools. The student will then be able to convene a planning team, or in simpler cases, close for the gift.
Executive Compensation (GS 842)
Covers executive compensation plans, emphasizing owner-employees of closely held businesses. Focuses on the design of cash and bonus compensation, stock options and other forms of compensation with restricted property; life insurance, including split-dollar plans and other death benefits; nonqualified deferred compensation; health and disability plans; and various fringe benefits. Covers plan installation, financing and administration, as well as ERISA, tax, including sections 280G and 409A and other legal and accounting compliance issues. The course culminates with the analysis of a comprehensive case study.
Tuition: $1,995 (per course)
Your tuition includes all required study materials, access to convenient online learning tools, and your examination.
See the Student Resources and Policies page for comprehensive details on academic policies, refund policies, learning policies, and more.