Exam Weight: ~3 questions (2.3% of exam)
Property ownership forms and estate planning techniques determine how assets are titled, transferred at death, and distributed to beneficiaries. This unit covers the ownership structures, transfer methods, and planning tools tested on the Series 65.
What You'll Learn
- Types of property ownership: JTWROS, TIC, TBE, and community property
- Transfer-on-death (TOD) and pay-on-death (POD) account designations
- Beneficiary designations including per stirpes and per capita distribution
- Basic trust and will concepts for estate planning
- Qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs) for dividing retirement assets
- Donor advised funds as a charitable giving vehicle
Federal gift and estate tax basics, including the annual exclusion, the lifetime exemption, and portability, are taught in the Tax Considerations unit. Those figures decide the tax result of the transfers below, so keep them in mind as you work through this unit.