MyCAA-APPROVED CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM
WILL TRUSTS & ESTATES SPECIALIST
This course examines the everyday use of laws that govern how these instruments can be passed on from generation to generation as intended by the original or subsequent owners.
CERTIFICATION: MOS
PROGRAM COSTS: Varies
COURSE CONTACT HOURS: 375
PROGRAM DURATION: 6 Months
EXTERNSHIP AVAILABLE: Yes
COURSES AVAILABLE THROUGH
Tyler Junior College TJC-L-WTE
Download TJC Course Outline
Texas A&M TAMIU-L-WTE
Download TAMIU Course Outline

The Wills, Trusts & Estates Specialist
The intergenerational transfer of wealth is controlled by both statutory and common law principles applicable to a particular jurisdiction. Competing views of the individual’s freedom of disposition and state power both to channel and to tax property have led to an interesting and complex array of legal devices and institutions that govern the proper way to gift certain types of property, trusts and other instruments of ownership. From statutory intestacy and elective share provisions, wills, and trusts to planning for incapacity, future interests in property, powers of appointment, life insurance, and introductory aspects of trust and estate administration, this course examines the everyday use of laws that govern how these instruments can be passed on from generation to generation as intended by the original or subsequent owners.
The Wills, Trusts & Estates Specialist Program
This program explores the ins and outs of the legal and ethical requirements necessary to develop and administer an estate plan. Students will be introduced to highly-specialized legal vocabulary pertaining to these particular legal fields, as well as relevant substantive and procedural law that govern wills, trusts and estates.
For those students looking toward law school or who are interested in the paralegal profession, this program offers an incredibly useful and realistic look into the actual work that lawyers and legal professionals do every day. As part of this course, students will produce an estate planning and estate administration portfolio of relevant documents that thoroughly covers the wills, trusts, and estates legal specialty.
Certification Opportunities
After completing this course, you should be able to:
- Examine estate planning considerations
- Analyze the rules of intestate succession
- Describe the requirements for a valid will
- Prepare a living will and powers of attorney
- Prepare a basic will
- Examine the requirements of trusts and supporting documents
- Describe the duties of a personal representative and procedure for appointment
- Create the initial estate administration documents
- Prepare an inventory document
- Examine creditor claims
- Describe tax law as it relates to estate planning
- Prepare final accounting and estate closing documents
- Describe estate administration concerns
- Use Microsoft Office
Technical Requirements
WINDOWS USERS
- Windows 7, XP or Vista
- 56K modem or higher
- Soundcard & Speakers
- Firefox, Chrome or Microsoft Internet Explorer
MAC OS USERS
- Mac OS X or higher (in classic mode)
- 56K modem or higher
- Soundcard & Speakers
- Apple Safari
SUPPORTED BROWSERS
System will support the two latest releases of each browser. When using older versions of a browser, users risk running into problems with the course software.
- Windows Users: Firefox, Chrome, Explorer
- Mac OS Users: Safari, Chrome, Firefox
SCREEN RESOLUTION
We recommend setting your screen resolution to 1024 x 768 pixels.
SUGGESTED PLUGINS
- Flash Player
- Real Player
- Adobe Reader
- Java
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