• videocam Live Webinar with Live Q&A
  • calendar_month May 7, 2026 @ 1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT
  • signal_cellular_alt Intermediate
  • card_travel Tax Preparer
  • schedule 110 minutes

Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts: Gifting Assets, Beneficiary and Grantor Considerations, Annual Reporting Requirements

$197.00

This course is $0 with these passes:

CPE
ALL
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About the Course

Introduction

This webinar will discuss how a spousal lifetime access trust (SLAT) can provide needed flexibility in estate planning. Our panel of transfer tax veterans will discuss the primary benefits and risks couples assume when establishing a SLAT and satisfying the annual reporting requirements for trust and estate professionals working with clients who have or may benefit from creating a SLAT.

Description

For 2026, the unified estate gift exclusion, and the generation skipping transfer tax exemption has been made permanent and set to $15 million. They will be indexed for inflation beginning in 2027. Gifting assets to a trust can remove the asset, and any future appreciation, from the grantor's estate (and future generations) and take advantage of the current gift tax exclusion, and the generation skipping transfer tax exemption. A SLAT is an irrevocable grantor trust created by a grantor spouse for the benefit of the other spouse. It provides lifetime distributions for the beneficiary spouse with a remainder interest usually passing to children or grandchildren. When appropriately structured, the distributions from the SLAT can indirectly benefit the grantor spouse.

The risks associated with these trusts are many. Often, reciprocal trusts may be formed, and if not appropriately structured, these mirror trusts could be included in both spouses' estates and subjected to creditor claims. Spouses are frequently sought as trustees, but often are not effective as trustees. This presents a risk in later estate tax examinations. Trust and estate advisers must recognize the merits and caveats of this flexible planning vehicle.

Listen as our panel of trust and estate professionals explains the nuances of SLATs.

Presented By

Chris Siegle
Managing Director, Wealth Advisor
J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Mr. Siegle, Managing Director, joined the J.P. Morgan Private Bank in 2010 after practicing tax, trust and estate law in Arizona for over 13 years. He is a member in the State Bar of Arizona and a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Mr. Siegle is also a Fellow in the American Bar Foundation. He teaches at Villanova School of Law and Loyola Law School. Mr. Siegle speaks and writes nationally on advanced estate, gift, GST and income tax topics. He is a retired Captain in the U.S. Navy, having served in uniform from 1990-2020. Mr. Siegle graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign (A.B.), the University of Tulsa College of Law (J.D.), The U.S. Army War College (M.S.S.) and the Villanova University School of Law (LL.M. (Tax)). 

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Credit Information

  • BARBRI is a NASBA CPE sponsor and this 110-minute webinar is accredited for 2.0 CPE credits.

  • BARBRI is an IRS-approved continuing education provider offering certified courses for Enrolled Agents (EA) and Tax Return Preparers (RTRP).

Date + Time

  • event

    Thursday, May 7, 2026

  • schedule

    1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT

I. Spousal lifetime access trusts: introduction

II. Benefits and considerations

A. Current state of estate tax

B. Grantor

C. Beneficiaries

D. Trustee

E. Distributions

F. Other

III. Risks

A. Reciprocal trusts

B. Divorce and death

C. Trustee Issues

D. Other

IV. State considerations

V. Reporting requirements

The panel will cover these and other essential issues:

  • Choice of jurisdiction
  • Critical considerations for reciprocal trusts and other risks
  • Allowed distributions to the beneficiary spouse from the SLAT
  • Income tax consequences to the grantor spouse establishing the trust
  • Opportunities to work with the grantor trust
  • How to meet annual trust IRS reporting requirements for SLATs

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, you will be able to:

  • Identify clients who will benefit from a SLAT
  • Determine the annual reporting requirements for SLATs
  • Decide how divorce can impact a SLAT
  • Ascertain whether reciprocal trusts are needed


  • Field of Study: Taxes
  • Level of Knowledge: Intermediate
  • Advance Preparation: None
  • Teaching Method: Seminar/Lecture
  • Delivery Method: Group-Internet (via computer)
  • Attendance Monitoring Method: Attendance is monitored electronically via a participant's PIN and through a series of attendance verification prompts displayed throughout the program
  • Prerequisite:

    Three years+ business or public firm experience preparing complex tax forms and schedules, supervising other preparers or accountants. Specific knowledge and understanding of estate, gift and trust taxation including various trusts types, the unified credit, and portability.

BARBRI, Inc. is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of Accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE Credits. Complaints regarding registered sponsons may be submitted to NASBA through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

IRS Approved Provider

BARBRI is an IRS-approved continuing education provider offering certified courses for Enrolled Agents (EA) and Tax Return Preparers (RTRP).

BARBRI CE webinars-powered by Barbri-are backed by our 100% unconditional money-back guarantee: If you are not satisfied with any of our products, simply let us know and get a full refund. Contact us at 1-800-926-7926 .