Specialty Certification

Certified Trust Examiner (CTE) 

Objectives of the Trust Examiner Certification Program:

  • To achieve recognition of the specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the examination of trust institutions of all sizes and complexities to ensure their compliance with state and federal laws and applicable regulations.
  • To promote continuing education in trust supervision, ensuring that examiners remain knowledgeable about evolving practices, regulations, and standards within the trust and fiduciary industry.
  • To emphasize the need for professionalism and continuing advancement of trust examination professionals given the specialized skills and knowledge necessary to adequately supervise this area.
  • To enhance and maintain the quality of job performance and skill level of these specialized examiners.

Candidates for the CTE designation must provide evidence of all of the following:

  • Completion of a minimum of one (1) year of trust examination experience. Equivalent industry experience may be substituted on a case-by-case basis.
  • Participation in the review of each component of examination and/or participation in examination of at least five non-complex trust institutions, including discussions with management and the analysis and writing of the examination findings as applicable. (Please provide details of the size and type of accounts of the trust institution examined in the application information.)
  • Satisfactory completion of one the following courses or an equivalent course (courses submitted for equivalency will be considered on a case-by-case basis):
    • A school covering the fundamentals of fiduciary activities, including the CSBS Trust Examiner School, the FFIEC Fundamentals of Trust training, or the ABA Wealth and Trust School, or
      • Advanced trust training at the Cannon Financial Institute or Campbell University (NC), or other recognized professional training program, or
      • A bachelor’s degree in a trust-focused university program.
  • Attestation of successful job performance and mastery of appropriate job-related skills by the candidate’s immediate supervisor or other senior employee who is familiar with the applicant’s experience, performance, and skills and abilities. The supervisor or other qualified individual must attest that the applicant meets or exceeds expectations regarding all competencies listed below and the examination requirement.

The attestation form addresses the following categories:

TECHNICAL - Provides effective leadership and organization to the examination process:

  • Effectively adheres to established examination guidance, manuals, policies, and procedures, etc.
  • Demonstrates effective skills to plan, organize and delegate examination/inspection functions including analyzing data and forming logical conclusions.
  • Actively participates in review scoping, scheduling, and managing examination logistics where appropriate.
  • Effectively organizes and documents workpapers according to prescribed procedures.
  • Actively participates in training of coworkers and colleagues as appropriate and necessary.
  • Demonstrates familiarity with and effective use of applicable writing and data analytics software, including word processors, tables, spreadsheets, calculators, etc.

CONCEPTUAL - Provides effective and accurate evaluation of the operational, financial, and fiduciary activities of trust institutions:

  • Demonstrates knowledge of and effectively evaluates the performance of trustee and fiduciary duties. 
  • Effectively analyzes trust institution activities in comparison to applicable codified laws, rules, and regulations as well as governing instruments, institution-specific policies and procedures, industry standards, and best practices.
  • Develops logical and appropriate evaluations and conclusions from collected data.
  • Demonstrates familiarity with the fundamental similarities and differences between non-depository trust companies and bank trust departments, and risks involved with each. 
  • Demonstrates knowledge of financial reporting fundamentals applicable to both non-depository trust companies and bank trust departments. 
  • Demonstrates knowledge of both state and federal reporting requirements. 
  • Demonstrates knowledge of the Uniform Interagency Trust Ratings System (UITRS) as applicable and the trust examination components: Management; Operations, Internal Controls and Auditing; Earnings; Compliance; and Asset Management.

LEGAL/COMPLIANCE - Effectively demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules, and regulations.

  • Demonstrates familiarity with applicable trust-related state-specific laws, rules, and regulations.
  • Demonstrates familiarity with other potentially applicable industry standards for fiduciary activity as promulgated via model or uniform acts/laws, including the Uniform Trust Code, Uniform Directed Trust Act, Uniform Prudent Investor Act, Uniform Principal and Income Act, etc.
  • Demonstrates familiarity with the interaction between state and federal laws, rules, and regulations for various types of trust institutions. 
  • Demonstrates familiarity with applicable federal laws and regulations, which may include but are not limited to:
    • Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations 
    • Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) regulations 
    • Customer Identification Program (CIP) regulations 
    • FDIC Statement of Principles of Trust Department Management 
    • Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) regulations 
    • 12 CFR 9 Fiduciary Activities of National Banks 
    • 12 CFR 17 Part 247 Regulation R (Exemption for Banks from the Definition of Broker)
  • Demonstrates familiarity with applicable legal/business entity, property, and tax laws, rules, and regulations.

HUMAN RELATIONS - Provides effective oral and written communications:

  • Effectively communicates with other assisting examination personnel and those leading examinations regarding assignments and expectations.
  • Effectively collaborates with other assisting examination personnel and those leading examinations to organize and analyze examination information and materials in a timely and professional manner.
  • Effectively communicates with trust institution personnel to obtain information where appropriate.
  • Presents logical supporting documentation in response to any management concerns and moderates conclusions if presented with sufficiently supported data by management.
  • Effectively and clearly escalates examination findings or concerns to agency supervisory personnel and/or EIC as needed.
  • Effectively prepares appropriate, accurate, and well supported written work product, including examination findings, recommendations, comments, and supporting workpapers in a timely manner.
  • Conducts all meetings in an organized and professional manner.

Trust Recertification

Every three years, participants will be required to provide evidence of the successful completion of a minimum of 40 continuing education hours (CEH); at least seven CEHs must be completed each year. Continuing education should be selected with the goal of maintaining, improving, or expanding the examiner’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Examples of qualifying programs and activities are listed below. Other programs and activities submitted will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

  • Courses/Seminars
    • CSBS Trust Forum
    • CSBS - Day One: BSA/AML Examiner Training 
    • CSBS - Effective Meetings with Management 
    • CSBS - Examiner-In-Charge School 

  • CSBS - BSA/AML Examiner School 

    • CSBS - AMA Effective Technical Writing
    • FFIEC - Asset & Wealth Management Forum
    • FFIEC - Advanced BSA/AML Specialists Conference 
    • FFIEC - Anti-Money Laundering Workshop 
    • FFIEC - Fundamentals of Trust 
    • FIRMA - National Training Conference
    • Trust Advisors Forum (Campbell University)
    • Cannon Financial Institute - Trust Audit, Compliance & Risk Mgt I 
    • Cannon Financial Institute - Trust Audit, Compliance & Risk Mgt II 
    • Cannon Financial Institute - Trust Audit, Compliance & Risk Mgt III 
    • Cannon Financial Institute - Hard-to-Value Assets 
    • Chainalysis – Fundamentals of Cryptocurrency
    • Other programs approved on a case-by-case basis 
  • Other relevant trust-related training from recognized providers, such as:
    • Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS)

    • Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC)

    • Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

    • Federal Reserve Board (FRB)

    • Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)

    • Federal Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FinCEN)

    • Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

    • Cannon Financial Institute

    • Northwestern University Trust School

    • Campbell University – Southeastern Trust School

    • State Bankers Associations

    • American Bankers Association (ABA)

  • Other relevant training pertaining trust-related topics, such as:

    • Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)

    • Custody and Safekeeping Accounts

    • Corporate Trusts

    • Crypto Assets

    • Portfolio Management

    • Securities Transactions and Operations

    • Gift and Estate / Transfer Taxes

    • Bank Secrecy Act / Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML)

    • IT / Cybersecurity

Nontraditional credit for speaking, authoring, teaching, etc. approved on a case-by-case basis.