CES Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CES exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 CES Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CES Topics to Study (69)
✍️ Sample CES Questions & Answers
1. Which type of trust provision protects a beneficiary's interest from claims of the beneficiary's creditors?
A spendthrift clause prevents beneficiaries from voluntarily transferring their trust interests and shields those interests from creditor attachment.
2. Under state fiduciary law, which standard applies when evaluating whether a trustee's investment decisions were prudent?
Prudence is judged by the process and information available at the time of the decision, not by subsequent results.
3. What constitutes a boundary violation in professional practice?
Dual relationships that could impair professional judgment represent boundary violations, potentially compromising the quality and objectivity of professional services.
4. A trust company operating in multiple states must comply with which rule regarding fiduciary law when administering a trust?
Under the UTC and conflicts of law principles, the applicable law is generally that specified in the trust document, or failing that, the jurisdiction with the most significant relationship to the trust.
5. A charitable remainder trust (CRT) trustee must invest to satisfy both the unitrust payout and the charitable remainder interest. Which investment approach best serves this dual mandate?
A total return approach targeting returns above the CRT payout rate plus inflation preserves purchasing power for the income beneficiary while growing the charitable remainder.
6. A trust converts to a unitrust, paying a fixed percentage of assets annually. What primary benefit does this provide to the income beneficiary?
A unitrust pays a fixed percentage of total trust assets, allowing the income beneficiary to share in asset appreciation and reducing conflict with the remainder beneficiary.