About

The Institute of Certified Executor Advisors (ICEA) is the owner, certifier, and governing body of the Certified Executor Advisor (CEA) designation program.

As with many other beginnings, ours started from a personal event that identified a significant gap in the level of support Executors could receive. Coupled with the fact that this need arises at a time when the Executor is also likely grieving the death of a loved one, the solution was obvious.

We set out to create a designatory certification program that would train every profession an Executor may turn to during the course of their duties. No easy feat considering we identified there were as many as 12 of them ranging from Financial Advisors to Accountants and Realtors.

Our mandate is simple: to equip these professionals with the knowledge and training required to assist an Executor in all aspects of the estate settlement process. Often, the Executor named in a will does not have the expertise needed for the role. To make matters worse they are sometimes caught off guard as they didn’t even know this honor awaited them. It makes sense when people refer to the role of an Executor as ‘The hardest job you never applied for’.

Regardless of what profession a CEA belongs to, the objective of the CEA program is the same. They will gain a practical level of knowledge of what each of these professions do for executors and testators, be recognizable as someone who can help them, and vastly improve their ability to engage and navigate these critical steps.

The recognition factor is why this course is a designation program. Few people would be able to connect the purpose of a realtor, planned giving officer, accountant and financial advisor doing a seminar together, but when they see that all four are also Certified Executor Advisors, it all makes perfect sense. They understand this is a team of people with the general knowledge needed to help executors, and with specialized expertise in different areas who work together with clients to ensure successful outcomes. They quickly understand that a CEA is exactly who they need.

The role of the ICEA is to:

1. Enhance the educational framework for candidates to achieve a consistent standard of excellence in care, ethics, and professional demeanor.
2. Provide access to the latest developments, tools, and resources, ensuring relevance and applicability.
3. Promote and cultivate professional networking opportunities among dedicated experts.
4. Support Executors in identifying Certified Executor Advisors within their geographical area and specialization required.
5. Implement a foundational reporting mechanism for the oversight of Certified Executor Advisors' practices.