Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners

The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, commonly known as STEP, is an international professional body serving specialists in trusts, estates, inheritance and succession planning. Founded in 1991 by George Tasker, it brings together professionals whose work frequently involves the legal, tax, financial and administrative dimensions of transferring wealth between generations or managing assets for beneficiaries. Its membership includes solicitors, barristers, attorneys, accountants, tax advisers, trust officers, trust administrators, and professionals working in banking and insurance. STEP's central purpose is to improve professional standards in a field that often sits at the intersection of private wealth, family governance, taxation, fiduciary responsibility and regulation. It supports members through education, professional networking, technical resources and policy engagement. The organisation also contributes to public and regulatory debate concerning trusts, estate administration, inheritance, succession and related tax matters. The organisation operates through more than 100 branches and chapters across 56 countries and has membership exceeding 20,000, according to the supplied reference material. Its international structure allows members to exchange knowledge across jurisdictions, an important feature of trust and estate practice because legal systems, tax rules and fiduciary obligations differ substantially between countries. Education is a major part of STEP's offering. Its programmes range from introductory certificates to a full diploma, with membership levels determined by a combination of educational credits and previous professional experience. Full members may use the post-nominal designation TEP. The TEP designation is presented as a widely recognised professional mark within the trust and estate administration sector and is intended to signal relevant expertise and commitment to professional standards. Members are bound by a Code of Professional Conduct requiring integrity and conduct capable of sustaining the confidence and trust of clients and the broader community. They are also expected to remain current on legal, technical and regulatory developments. Members who advise on tax matters must additionally follow professional conduct guidance relating to taxation, including an obligation not to pursue outcomes that conflict with the clear intention of Parliament. STEP is governed by a board of directors supported by a council. The board is responsible for high-level strategy and carries the organisation's formal legal authority, while the council provides consultation on strategic direction and matters affecting the membership. As of 1 January 2024, Kelly Greig TEP served as chair. STEP is a membership-based professional association rather than a conventional consumer product brand, and its principal value lies in accreditation, professional development, standards-setting, networking and representation of practitioners in its specialist field.

STEP was established in 1991 by George Tasker as a professional body for people working with trusts, estates and succession planning. From its foundation, its role combined professional education, networking and the promotion of high standards in a specialist area involving legal practice, taxation, fiduciary administration and private wealth management. The organisation developed an international membership model supported by local branches and chapters. This structure enabled practitioners in different jurisdictions to share professional knowledge while accounting for the substantial differences among national trust, inheritance and tax regimes. Over time, STEP's membership expanded beyond solicitors and other lawyers to include accountants, tax advisers, trust officers, administrators, bankers and insurance professionals involved in trust and estate work. Education became one of STEP's principal institutional functions. The organisation introduced a progression of qualifications, extending from entry-level certificates through to a full diploma. Educational credits and relevant prior experience are used to determine membership level. Full members can use the designation TEP after their names, making the mark an important identifier in the trust and estate administration profession. STEP's professional role also includes ethical and technical standard-setting. Its Code of Professional Conduct requires members to act with integrity, maintain the confidence of clients and the wider public, and keep their knowledge current as laws and regulations change. Members providing tax advice are subject to additional professional guidance on taxation, including the principle that they should not seek results contrary to the clear intention of Parliament. The organisation contributes to policy discussions in its specialist field, addressing issues connected with inheritance, succession, trusts, estate administration and taxation. Its work is therefore directed both toward the development of practitioners and toward the wider public-policy environment in which trusts and estates are administered. STEP is governed by a board of directors, with a council serving as a consultative body. Directors are selected from council members through an election process, and the board determines the organisation's high-level strategic direction. The governance structure includes a chair and deputy chairs alongside the chief executive officer. As of 1 January 2024, Kelly Greig TEP was identified as STEP's chair. The organisation currently operates as a global professional association with more than 100 branches and chapters in 56 countries and membership exceeding 20,000, based on the supplied reference material. Its present identity is consequently built around international professional recognition, education, ethical conduct, technical competence and representation of specialists in trust and estate practice.

• 2024

  Kelly Greig becomes chair

  [1]Society of Trust and Estate Practitionersen.wikipedia.org

  Kelly Greig TEP is identified as chair of STEP from 1 January 2024.

• 1991

  STEP is founded

  [1]Society of Trust and Estate Practitionersen.wikipedia.org

  George Tasker establishes the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners as a professional body for advisers working in trusts, estates and succession planning.

An international professional membership body and standards organisation for trust, estate, inheritance and succession-planning practitioners.

• Professional membership

  STEP Membership

  STEP membership serves professionals involved in trusts, estates, inheritance and succession planning. Members may include lawyers, accountants, tax advisers, trust officers, administrators, bankers and insurance professionals. Membership levels reflect a combination of STEP educational credits and prior professional experience, and full members may use the TEP designation.

• Professional education

  STEP Certificates

  STEP offers certificate-level educational programmes intended to develop knowledge relevant to trust and estate practice. The certificates form part of a broader qualification pathway and support the organisation's objective of improving professional competence among practitioners at different stages of their careers.

• Professional education

  STEP Diploma

  The STEP diploma is the organisation's advanced educational offering within the qualification structure described in the reference material. It contributes credits used in determining membership level and is aimed at practitioners seeking deeper expertise in trusts, estates, inheritance and succession planning.

• Professional designation

  TEP Designation

  TEP is the post-nominal designation available to full STEP members. It functions as a professional signal for expertise in trust and estate administration and is described in the reference material as the only widely recognised mark for professionals in that specialist industry.

• Professional standards

  Code of Professional Conduct

  STEP's Code of Professional Conduct sets expectations for member integrity, client confidence, public trust and continuing professional knowledge. Tax advisers within the membership are also expected to follow additional guidance concerning professional conduct in relation to taxation.

1. 1Society of Trust and Estate Practitionersen.wikipedia.org
2. 2STEP official websitestep.org