American College of Trust and Estate Counsel

We are leaders in trust and estate law.

ACTEC Fellows are committed to improving the trust and estate profession through lifelong learning, establishing best practices, and providing dependable answers to frequently asked questions.

Latest ACTEC Estate Planning Essentials video

Pet Trusts Explained: Ensure Your Pet’s Care After You’re Gone

Latest ACTEC Trust & Estate Podcast

Family-Owned Business and Internal Revenue Code Chapter 14 | Pt 1 of 3

Latest News

Announcements and Analysis from the College

Family-Owned Business and Internal Revenue Code Chapter 14 | Pt 1 of 3

Understand IRC Chapter 14 rules, Sections 2701–2704, and key estate planning strategies to avoid tax pitfalls in family wealth transfers.

Using Technology to Improve Client Services in Your Practice

Discover how top-tier client service and smart tools like Calendly, Zapier, and TextExpander can transform your law firm’s client experience.

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) from IRAs

An expert shares how Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from IRAs can reduce taxable income, satisfy RMDs, and maximize charitable giving for those 70½+.

Avoiding Common Ethical Traps in Estate Planning

Expert tips for estate planning attorneys to avoid ethical pitfalls, featuring recent case examples of disciplinary actions and disqualifications.

April 11th Careers in Estate Planning at Howard University School of Law

Join local estate planning attorneys for a discussion on closing the racial wealth gap through a career in estate planning. April 11, 205 at Howard University

Pet Trusts Explained: Ensure Your Pet’s Care After You’re Gone

Your pets are family, but have you planned for their future? A pet trust ensures your furry (or feathered) friends are cared for, no matter what. Learn more.

ACTEC Elects 34 New Fellows to The College

The College is pleased to announce that 34 individuals were elected: 26 Fellows, one Academic Fellow, three Fiduciary Counsel Fellows, two International Fellows from Canada, one International Fellow from Japan, and Russell N. James, III, Professor of Charitable Financial Planning at Texas Tech University, was elected as an Honorary Fellow.

The ACTEC Foundation Announces 2025–2026 Officers and Directors

The ACTEC Foundation today announced the 2025–2026 Foundation Officers and the four new Directors elected to The Foundation’s Board on Saturday, March 22, during the ACTEC 2025 Annual Meeting in La Quinta, CA.

ACTEC Announces Peter S. Gordon as New President

ACTEC today announced that Peter S. Gordon will serve as the 2025–2026 President. Gordon is a Director at Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A. in Wilmington, Delaware. He succeeds 2024–2025 ACTEC President Susan D. Snyder, a Senior Planner on Northern Trust’s Regional Wealth Advisor Team in Chicago, Illinois.

ACTEC Elects New Member to the Board of Regents

ACTEC today announced that a new Regent were elected to its Board of Regents during the College’s Annual Business Meeting, held in La Quinta, California, on Friday, March 21, 2025.

Resources for your estate planning

From advance medical directives, to divorce considerations, to choosing the right trust for loved ones, ACTEC Fellows share their expertise in the ACTEC Estate Planning Essentials video series.

Wills & Trusts

Assets & Taxes

Advance Medical Directives

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Expanding Your Knowledge

ACTEC offers resources to a wide range of wealth advisors, legal professionals, students, and the public.

Wealth Advisors and T&E Professionals
Our trust and estate resources and educational materials provide lawyers, financial services professionals, and legal clients with valuable information at no charge.
Law Associates & Students
We support law associates and law students looking to advance their career in the trust and estate profession.
Diversity Resources
The Planning for a Diverse and Equitable Future video series strives to foster understanding by discussing issues surrounding racism, sexism, and discrimination in all its forms and by offering recommendations to address and combat inequalities.

Why ACTEC?

ACTEC is the premiere trust and estate planning fellowship in the U.S., comprised of leading lawyers in all 50 states and 16 countries. Do you have the right stuff?

Learn More About Membership

ACTEC Fellows Institutes

The Institutes offer a six-day program of intensive trust and estate education over a one-year period for third through sixth-year law associates. Programs are designed to develop the trust and estate profession’s future leaders through a series of in-depth educational presentations.

ACTEC Sponsors

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