CTEP Exam Information and Outline
Chartered Trust & Estate Planner
CTEP Exam Syllabus & Study Guide
Before you start practicing with our exam simulator, it is essential to understand the official CTEP exam objectives. This course outline serves as your roadmap, breaking down exactly which technical domains and skills will be tested. By reviewing the syllabus, you can identify your strengths and focus your study time on the areas where you need the most improvement.
The information below reflects the latest 2026 course contents as defined by AAFM. We provide this detailed breakdown to help you align your preparation with the actual exam format, ensuring there are no surprises on test day. Use this outline as a checklist to track your progress as you move through our practice question banks.
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
Exam Code: CTEP
Exam Name: AAFM Chartered Trust & Estate Planner (CTEP)
Duration: Typically 2–3 hours (varies by testing provider).
Passing Score: Usually around 70%–75% (subject to AAFM guidelines).
Format: Multiple-choice questions- case studies- and/or essay-based assessments (varies by provider).
- Fundamentals of Estate Planning
- Testate vs. Intestate (dying with/without a will)
- Probate (legal validation of a will)
- Grantor/Settlor (creator of a trust)
- Beneficiary (individual receiving assets)
- Executor/Administrator (person managing the estate)
- Guardianship (care of minors/dependents)
- Wills & Trusts
- Types of Wills:
- Simple Will
- Holographic Will
- Pour-Over Will
- Living Will.
- Trust Structures:
- Revocable vs. Irrevocable Trusts
- Living Trusts (created during lifetime)
- Testamentary Trusts (created via will)
- Special Needs Trusts (for disabled beneficiaries)
- Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRT)
- Trustee (manager of the trust)
- Fiduciary Duty (legal responsibility to act in beneficiary’s best interest)
- Per Stirpes vs. Per Capita (inheritance distribution methods)
- Tax Planning & Wealth Transfer
- Estate Tax vs. Inheritance Tax
- Gift Tax (annual exclusions- lifetime exemptions)
- Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax (GSTT)
- Step-Up in Basis (tax adjustment on inherited assets)
- Portability (transfer of unused estate tax exemption between spouses)
- Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT)
- Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT)
- Probate & Estate Administration
- Probate Process: Steps- timelines- and costs.
- Small Estate Affidavit (simplified probate for small estates)
- Letters Testamentary (legal authority to administer an estate)
- Estate Inventory & Appraisals
- Creditor Claims & Debt Settlement
- Asset Protection & Risk Management
- Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPT)
- Family Limited Partnerships (FLP)
- Limited Liability Companies (LLC) for Asset Protection
- Homestead Exemptions (protecting primary residence)
- Fraudulent Conveyance (illegal asset transfer to avoid creditors)
- International Estate Planning
- Foreign Trusts & Tax Compliance (e.g.- FATCA)
- Domicile vs. Residence (tax implications)
- Treaty Planning (avoiding double taxation)
- Offshore Asset Protection Trusts
- Business Succession Planning
- Buy-Sell Agreements (funded by life insurance)
- Key Person Insurance
- Family Business Transfers (e.g.- Installment Sales- FLPs)
- Valuation Methods (discounted cash flow- market comparables)
- Ethics & Professional Standards
- Fiduciary Responsibilities
- Conflicts of Interest
- Client Confidentiality
- AAFM Code of Ethics